


The Princess and the Pauper

by SakiaLumei



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: AU where Valla doesn't exist, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Drama, Earn Your Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Light Angst, Multi, Romance, Switching Places, so neither do Corrin or Azura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-06-10 07:26:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 209,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6945550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakiaLumei/pseuds/SakiaLumei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To prevent all out war between Nohr and Hoshido, a peace treaty will be sealed with the arranged marriage of Prince Xander and Princess Sakura. The shy Hoshidan princess asks her handmaiden, Mozu, to switch places with her out of fear and curiosity for her new fiance. To complicate matters more, the two princes are falling for maidens who are not their betrothed. It’s a romance of false identities that would make Shakespeare proud.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pact Between Friends

**Author's Note:**

> I started this for the lack of Xander x Mozu fics and such. If all goes well, we'll have a fic with some comedy, romance, and political intrigue. I would really appreciate any feedback or constructive criticism. Please enjoy!

**Prologue: Pact Between Friends**

 

Today was the day. In the hours after dawn, in a small room overlooking the city below, she sat patiently as the girl behind her brushed her light, cherry hair. She fixated her gaze on the city, as if ingraining each rooftop and decoration in her mind. Her hands sat on her lap, holding a stuffed doll. Behind her, a girl of equal age stood with a comb, separating the knots within her mistress’s hair. She always liked the bright color of her hair that outshone her own dull brown. Suddenly, her mistress broke the silence with a heavy sigh. “Mozu?” she asked in her soft, hushed tone.

“Yes, Lady Sakura?”

“What do you think Nohr is like?”

Mozu stopped combing the princess’s hair and her chestnut eyes turned toward the window. Almost every other Hoshidan she met said that Nohr was the complete opposite of their fair country. The mountains blocked the sun, making it bleak and cold. Almost nothing grew except for trees bearing no leaves or fruit. All this and more she had heard, but how could she tell the princess all of this?

“Well…” she started. “I know it’s different…” The princess turned around, looking up at her with a soft smile. “Don’t worry, Lady Sakura. You’ll be great for their kingdom. I mean…you’re so nice and full of sunshine.”

“Hehe…” A soft pink color pressed on her cheeks. “I hope so.” She stood up, dusting and straightening her robes. “And I hope Prince Xander will like me.”

“Of course he will! There’s no reason for him not to.” Sakura reached forward to take Mozu’s hands in hers, giving them a light squeeze.

“Thank you. I don’t know if I could do this without you.” Now it was Mozu’s turn for her cheeks to flush pink.

“O-of course.”

Mozu would never forget Princess Sakura’s kindness when her parents were killed by Nohrian thieves. Only the princess could have seen the look of despair in her eyes each time she delivered the rice each morning to the palace. Eventually, the princess had mustered the courage to ask her what was wrong, and surprisingly, Mozu had told her. Since then, Mozu found new employment as her handmaiden. Now, she was the only one to accompany the princess to her new life in Nohr.

For decades, the two countries were in political unrest, as the advisors called it. Everyone expected full out war in the next year, but Queen Mikoto would never allow it. After months and months of deliberation, finally the two countries signed a peace treaty that would be sealed with marriage. Knowing nothing but his name and status, Sakura would journey to Nohr and marry Crown Prince Xander to solidify peace.

At the gates of Castle Shirasagi, Mozu watched from the carriage as Sakura bid farewell to her family. Her siblings, especially, held her in an embrace for a long period of time. It was the first time she had seen Prince Takumi shed a tear, even if it was only one. The one who took the longest was her best friend and retainer, Hana. The samurai clutched the girl like she was going to fall off a cliff, saying over and over how Sakura had to write each day and tell her the minute her new Nohrian retainers treated her badly. Mozu found herself wiping tears away with her wrist. It was selfish, but she was reminded of her own parents and how she never got the chance to say goodbye. Soon, she swallowed back the lump in her throat, knowing she had to be strong for Sakura’s sake. The princess bowed and made her way to the carriage, wiping some stray tears. Mozu held the door open for her and climbed in with her, sitting opposite of the princess.

Once she closed the door, Sakura spoke with her usual hushed tone. “Mozu…”

“Yes?”

She scooted over on the seat, her head down as she held her hands. This time when she spoke, her voice cracked. “Can you sit with me?” Mozu knew what that meant. Just before the carriage began to move, she sat next to Sakura and wrapped an arm around her. Almost immediately, Sakura put her head on Mozu’s shoulder and hugged her tightly. She let out the sobs she held back in front of her family as Mozu stroked her beautiful hair. She closed her eyes and let tears fall down her cheeks as well.

Nohr’s capital of Windmire would be less than a month away, but the days felt endless. The first couple of days were spent napping out of nothing more than boredom. At the end of the week, Mozu finally showed Sakura some hand games to pass the time. Sakura had a knack for chopsticks. At first, Mozu purposely let down her reflexes, but then quickly amped her game up. Still, Sakura managed to beat her time and time again. She didn’t mind though; it was the first time Sakura had managed a smile in days. Soon, the towns of Hoshido became hamlets, then farmlands, then plain green fields.

Mozu unwrapped the day’s lunch and set the small stool outside. She poured her and Sakura some water and distributed the rice balls and bear jerky among the two. Sakura sat down and looked at the food before her. “Oh! Is this the bear jerky you talked about?”

“Yeah! I figured we could start using the rations I packed.” She sat across from her and put the jerky between her molars. Using the hold of her jaw and pulling her hand away, she tore off a piece of jerky and started chewing. Sakura blinked in surprise and looked down at her own piece. She lifted it to her nose, taking a whiff before doing the same as Mozu. She audibly grunted when she couldn’t tear it off as quick. Mozu watched as Sakura yanked her hand a couple of times before she broke off a piece. The handmaiden could not help but chuckle as Sakura narrowed her eyes, chewing slowly yet loudly. As Mozu continued to munch on her jerky, Sakura’s expression fell sour. She shut her eyes and swallowed audibly before letting out a sigh. “I can take the rest for you,” Mozu said. Sakura nodded quickly, downing half of her water.

“Excuse me, Lady Sakura.” The two turned to the carriage driver who had approached them with a quick bow. “We’re approaching the Nohrian border soon at the Bottomless Canyon. As per custom, Nohrian guards will take over and escort you to the capital.”

“A-alright. Thank you.” Mozu muddled over that statement as she continued to eat with Sakura. Once Sakura had finished one rice ball, she spoke again.

“Why is that?”

“Why is what?”

“Why do the Nohrians have to escort you?”

Sakura took a handkerchief and wiped her fingers with a heavy sigh. “It’s complicated. Mother said it is both out of tradition and out of safety. Since royalty represent their country, there are special rules. That’s why I couldn’t bring Subaki or Hana.”

“Oh…” Mozu tilted her head. “But you were able to bring me?”

“Y-yeah.” She smiled. “There was no reason saying you couldn’t.”

“But your retainers. They’re your bodyguards!” came Mozu.

“Since I will be marrying the prince, they said I need Nohrian retainers.” Sakura looked in the direction they were going. “Also, once I enter Nohrian borders, Nohrians are responsible for my safety. That is why they must take over.”

“I see.” Mozu took a bite of her rice ball, wondering what it would be like to travel with Nohrians. Rather, what Nohr was actually like. Surely, it could not be all of the horror stories she had heard, right? Mozu knew she could probably survive stormy weather and rough terrain, but she worried about Sakura. She didn’t want Sakura to fear her new home, her new life. Hoshido was a land of fertile grass and long, sunny days; if Nohr was the opposite, it would chew poor Sakura up.

After their meal, Mozu packed their picnic up and loaded it back on the trunk of the carriage before rejoining Sakura. Only a couple of more days before they reached the border at the Bottomless Canyon. After closing the door, Mozu noticed Sakura leaning against the window sill, her eyes fixed on the outside. She barely moved apart from her breathing. Clearly, she had something on her mind. “Lady Sakura?”

As the carriage jolted into a start, so did Sakura. “Oh.” She lifted her head and turned back to Mozu. “S-sorry.”

“You looked pretty lost in thought. Everything alright?”

“Oh, yes.” She sat up straight and folded her hands on her lap. “Mozu, before you met me, what did you think of me?”

“Hm?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow. “Think of you?”

“What did you think…think I looked like?”

What a weird question, Mozu thought. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, humming as she dug back into her memories. She never heard much about Princess Sakura’s appearance other than how cute and beautiful she was. “Mostly,” she said. “The folks back home said you were beautiful and kind.”

“A-anything specific?”

“No. I’m sorry, M’Lady...” She waited patiently as Sakura twiddled her thumbs and glanced out the window. Mozu bit her lip, trying to rack her head for a reason why Sakura would be asking her these things. “It’s not like they’re lying,” she said, not sure if it would help.

“N-no, that’s not it.” Sakura frowned, her lips thinning into a line and her eyes turned pleadingly. “M-Mozu…c-can you…” She paused. Mozu waited. She wasn’t sure what to do with the silence.

“Can I…?”

Suddenly, Sakura blurted out quickly, “Can you switch places with me?”

Now the silence was Mozu’s fault. Her jaw and shoulders slackened as Sakura waited with baited breath and puppy eyes. “Mozu?” she asked.

“L-Lady Sakura!” she said, snapping out of her initial confusion and surprise. “Why…why do you want to switch places?”

“I-it won’t be for long, I promise!” She reached forward to take Mozu’s hands. “I’m just…I’m so scared.” Her head dropped as she looked at the floor of the carriage. “I’m scared of Nohr…I don’t know anything about Xander…” She shook her head. “M-more than anything, I want peace. B-but I’m so scared that I don’t know what I’d do. I can’t mess this up.” When she lifted her head, her expression suddenly turned to one of conviction. “If, if you could just meet him first and I see how he really is, then I would know how to do this…”

Mozu felt her heart starting to race. On the one hand, she understood what Sakura was coming from. She had a large responsibility in solidifying peace between the two countries. On the other, impersonating royalty is punishable by…by death! Surely Sakura wasn’t doing this to throw Mozu under the carriage. “Mozu,” said Sakura. “Please…it’s only for a little. I’m sure the Nohrians won’t know what I look like and I promise…I promise that you’ll be okay. I’ll protect you.”

How could she say no to those eyes? She was _begging_ her at this point, all for the sake of peace. Mozu knew she could refuse and talk Sakura out of it, but that would result in her being more nervous and out of her element. After all, she carried the weight of two kingdoms on her shoulders. Her job was to assist and by the gods she will.

“Alright,” Mozu said, her throat tight. “I’ll do it.” There it was. She sealed her fate and that was it. Sakura’s expression lit up and she let out a large sigh of relief, hanging her head.

“Oh thank goodness! Thank you, Mozu…thank you.”

“Please, Princess,” she replied. “I’m only doing what is right.”

“Mozu,” she said sternly. “You have to tell me the minute—the minute!—you feel uncomfortable continuing this, okay? I will make everything right, right there and then. I promise.”

“Thank you,” she said, returning with a warm smile. “I promise I will.”


	2. The Capital of Windmire

With the Bottomless Canyon only a couple of hours away, Sakura sat across from Mozu, haven given up her priceless kimono for Mozu’s hand-me-down, dull indigo yukata. Mozu, meanwhile, adjusted the flower ornament in her hair, making sure it didn’t teeter off the side of her hair. She had never worn it down before except for bed. She didn’t have much for Sakura to work with to tie half into a topknot. Then again, Sakura’s hair was short enough to be kept down and still look nice. “Okay, when is my birthday?”

“April Ninth, in the middle of cherry blossom season.” Mozu chuckled. “Princess, I already know all this. You have to ask me questions the Nohrians would want to know.”

“Oh, I guess that’s true.” She sat back and crossed her arms. “Hm…oh! Favorite food!”

“Dumplings with sweet red bean paste.” Mozu smirked as Sakura’s lip curled into a pout.

“W-well…I guess that’s it. You already know about my whole family too, so you’re set there. Hey, when is your birthday?”

“October sixth,” Mozu replied. “Towards harvest season.”

“Okay…” Sakura said with a slow nod. “How do you feel?”

Mozu took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall of the carriage. “I…I think I can do this,” she said, messing with the ornament again. Now it really did start to sag. Sakura giggled softly, shifting next to her to fix it. “Who knows, maybe this will be fun.”

“I think it will,” she said, brushing Mozu’s hair with her fingers. “I honestly can’t wait to see what it’s like not being a princess,” she said. “Already, I feel…I feel a little lighter.”

“That’s good,” Mozu said. Thank gods Sakura was feeling better because Mozu must have inherited some of that weight when she put the kimono on. She winced with a little yelp once Sakura tightened the hair ornament and almost pricked her skin. “Yow!”

“S-sorry!” Sakura said, flinching back. “I didn’t mean to--I was just--!”

“I-it’s okay,” Mozu said, putting her hands up. “R-really. I’m okay.” At least the ornament won’t fall off now. Sakura sighed deeply, holding her hands.

“One more thing. Because you’re royalty now, people can’t speak to you until you address them first.”

“H-huh? What do you mean address?”

“Those of lower rank usually cannot say a word to someone of higher rank unless addressed first. It’s really complicated etiquette,” Sakura said. Mozu frowned since she knew she was never one to really initiate conversation.

“They didn’t have this in Hoshido.”

“Nohr is different,” Sakura said. “They have their own customs.”

“What else did they teach you?” Mozu asked.

Sakura spoke for what seemed like hours and Mozu wasn’t sure if she could keep up. Stand up straight, speak from the chest, curtsey not bow. Something about learning to use a fork? Thankfully, they were all customs and tricks that Sakura had to learn as well, so perhaps the Nohrians would be lenient and patient with Mozu. Suddenly, their conversation ended with the unfamiliar roaring of the clouds. Mozu pulled back the shades to see the sky turned a bleak grey with dark clouds looming over. The green grass has been reduced to ash and dead lands. In a matter of seconds, the carriage rocked back and forth until it hit a bump in the road, causing the two girls to jump and yelp. With another roar from the clouds, the carriage came a complete halt.

Sakura turned to Mozu, replying with a soft, “I think we’re here.” Mozu heard the footman jump off the seat of the carriage and walk over to the carriage door. He knocked twice.

“Princess, are you ready?”

The two girls looked at each other, waiting for the other to speak. Mozu pointed to Sakura and Sakura to Mozu, both mouthing the word “You.” Sakura pressed again, mouthing “you” again. “Oh, me!” Mozu mouthed, pointing to herself. Sakura nodded as Mozu cleared her throat.

“Y-yes!” Her voice had cracked and she suddenly was not sure if she could do this. The footman opened the door for the two girls. Sakura put a hand up to signal that she would go first. Once she stepped down, she immediately turned to the footman and put her finger over her mouth. Once he seemed to have understood, she held her hand out for Mozu like she would do for her. Swallowing thickly, Mozu took her hand and stepped outside. She first looked at the footman who was visibly confused with the charade, but he seemed like he would keep silent.

Then, the two girls turned around to take in the landscape. In front of them was a vast canyon, extending far to the other side. It divided the land like a scar as far as the eye could see. A couple of yards away awaited another carriage that was black as night. The outside had small spikes, clearly armored. Mozu honestly thought it could trample over the simple wooden carriage she was riding in. She could also make out a couple of guards standing close, much more than she had anticipated. The footman closed the door and returned to their carriage’s side.

Sakura squeezed Mozu’s hand. “It’s time to go, Princess.” Mozu nodded and remembered what Sakura had said. She stood up straight, chest puffed out, and walked with her hands folded neatly in front of her. Her heart beat madly and she rehearsed a script in her head over and over again. What should she say? Greetings, Nohrians? Oh no, definitely not. Greetings was good, though. What to say after that…Well maybe she should let them talk first. Wait, no she can’t. Stupid royalty has to speak first law.

Okay, you can do this, you can do this…

Upon walking closer, she could make out at least three figures that stood in front of the carriage. On her right was a tall woman with long, golden locks. She wore a white and blue uniform that showed off her curves. An axe laid at her side, the business end resting against the lifeless ground.

On her left was a large man who looked like a bear she probably hunted at least once. He wore so much armor that Mozu was not sure if he could even walk. Once closer, she could see a visible scar over the bear’s face that made her heart flinch.

In the center, standing tall with his hands behind his back was another heavily armored man, but his seemed less bulky and allowed more movement. Mozu could see wrinkles on his face and gray hair combed back. Like the other man, this knight also had a long scar across his face. Mozu quickly glanced back at Sakura who was also fixated on the visage of these people. She pressed her lips together and turned to Mozu, nodding as if she was saying “good luck.”

Once the two girls were standing before them, Mozu was about to bow until she remembered what Sakura said. She curtseyed, the kimono thankfully hiding her wobbling legs since it was an awkward position. And now, she had to talk first. “G-greetings…”

And that was the only thing that came out. Her mouth was open, like she was going to say something else, but no words could be formed. She half expected this elder knight to realize she was not Sakura and strike her down. Perhaps it was that fear that froze her.

Instead, he chuckled and bowed, a hand over his chest. “Greetings to you, Princess Sakura. I assume your journey must have been tiring.”

“Y-yes! It sure was!” Mozu blurted out. Oh man, she had to sound more formal than that. Next time, next time…

“I am Gunter, a knight of Nohr. I have been tasked in bringing you to Windmire safely and soundly.” He took a step back. “I have also brought your two new retainers.”

Mozu looked to the woman, who was smiling quite sweetly, then to the man, who was not smiling, but did give her a nod. “I-it’s nice to meet ya’ll-I mean…you two.” She cleared her throat. “S-Forgive me. I am…quite tired.” She waited to see if she got away with this one.

The woman approached her first with a small laugh. “Oh, Princess, please don’t apologize. We all know you must be exhausted!” She curtseyed as well. “My name is Charlotte. Pleased to be of service.” She turned to the other knight and gestured to him. “That’s Benny.”

He nodded again and grunted, “Pleased to meet you.”

Gunter cleared his throat. “Now that that is taken care of, we must be on our way,” he said. “The sooner we reach Windmire, the better.”

“Of course,” replied Mozu. Charlotte and Benny walked over to the carriage, the former opening the large door. With Sakura behind her, Mozu walked over with Benny waiting, his hand extended to help each of them into the carriage. The inside was larger than the other one, with cushioned seats made of purple velvet. The two girls took a seat as Charlotte peeked in.

“I don’t know if anyone said it yet, but welcome to Nohr.” She smiled sweetly before closing the door. Sakura and Mozu let out collective sighs of relief; they had passed the first test.

“How do you feel?” Sakura asked in a low voice, so as to make sure no one outside could hear them.

“Oh, I was so nervous,” she said. “I thought for sure they caught me.”

“You did great.” She leaned forward, taking her hands in hers. It was only then did Mozu realize how sweaty they were and she felt bad that Sakura had to touch them. Still, the princess didn’t seem to mind. “I’m so glad this is working.”

“M-me too.”

“And that girl, Charlotte! She seems so nice. But Benny is…”

“So scary, right?”

“Yeah! Ahah…” Sakura sighed once more. “Now, I guess…we just have to wait and see what Xander is like.”

“Maybe your new retainers would know a thing or two,” Mozu said as the carriage creaked into a start. Its wheels made a lower sound when they rolled against the ground and the carriage was significantly slower. Must be all of that armor.

“I guess they’re technically your retainers now.”

“B-but not for long.”

“R-right! Not for long.” Sakura folded her hands and twiddled her thumbs, looking out the curtain. After a short pause, she turned back to Mozu. “I think you did well.”

“Really?” she asked with a small laugh. “I thought for sure they knew. But I guess no one really knows about you, Lady Sakura.”

“Lucky for us…”

Mozu realized sleeping in this carriage, despite the comfy seats, was more difficult than the other one. Mostly due to the bumpy roads that made the carriage jump and rumble. The two girls leaned on each other for comfort, but were rudely awakened with each bumpy road. Charlotte assured them that it was only through the mountains and once they crossed the valley, they would reach the plains.

After a couple of days, they reached the plains and from there, reached the castle.

Just before that, Mozu had pulled back the window and gestured for Charlotte. “Excuse me?”

“Oh!” said the fighter as she walked alongside the carriage. “Princess. Do you need to stop?”

“No, no. I was just confused.” She sighed. “You said that we were close, but, I don’t see the castle…”

Charlotte giggled and pointed ahead. “It’s that wall over there, beyond the valley.” Mozu poked her head out of the window and peered her eyes, searching for it. Beyond the valley she could see a large, dark wall. “See? We’re close.”

“R-really? There’s a castle over there?”

“You’ll see.” Charlotte laughed again. Mozu pressed her lips together and sat back down. She went to close the window and open her mouth to thank Charlotte, but another thought crossed her mind.

“Charlotte?”

“Yes?”

“What’s Prince Xander like?” she asked. “Do you know him?”

“Prince Xander?” she said, putting a finger to her chin. “Not much. I was just a border guard before being promoted, buuut…” She giggled. “I know he’s super strong and an amazing swordsman. Ooh and I’ve heard he’s very handsome too! I guess you’re a lucky princess!”

“Handsome? I see…” At least Sakura had that. She looked back to the real princess and realized that looks were the least of her worries. Mozu knew Sakura would rather have a prince who was kind and wise rather than a gallant warrior. “Thank you, Charlotte.” She scooted away from the window and closer to Sakura. “I guess we’ll just have to see.”

“Yes. We’re almost there.”

A couple of hours passed and the carriage came to a stop. Charlotte knocked on the door with a cheery “We’re finally here!” Benny opened the carriage door and Charlotte helped both of the girls down. They both turned to face the tall wall before them. Mozu turned to Sakura looking for an explanation, but Sakura looked just as clueless.

“Come now, Princess.” She turned around to find Gunter walking past her. “I’m sure everyone is eager to formally meet you.”

“Of course,” Mozu replied, following him to the gate of the wall with Sakura, then Charlotte and Benny, following closely behind. At the gate, they paused briefly for the guards to open it and allow them entrance. As soon as Mozu and Sakura stepped through to the other side, they gasped at what lied before them.

Castle Krakenburg sat at the bottom of a large pit, with them standing at about the same level as some of its towers. Across the pit stretched a long bridge that they were expected to cross. With every step, they looked on either side of themselves, trying to comprehend the depth of the pit. Ahead of them, Gunter laughed softly. “Surprised? There’s no fortress like Castle Krakenburg. That wall we passed isn’t the hard part, as you might have gathered.”

“Y-yes, of course…” Mozu said. “I reckon—er, I believe I will be safe here.” She shook her head at her blunder before catching up with Gunter at the end of the bridge. He led her down safely through the winding, dark corridors of the castle before reaching the end of the hallway. There, at the end, were two large double doors that took up a whole wall. He turned around and faced her.

“I will go on ahead to announce your presence. I will not be long.” He bowed and pushed open the doors a smidge only to let himself in. Mozu dared not look inside and instead turned to Sakura. The princess walked up to her, taking her hands in hers.

“You can do this,” she said with a comforting smile.

“I just hope he likes me.” Actually, he should like _you_ , thought Mozu. With Charlotte and Benny close by, she had to keep up this act.

“Of course he will,” Sakura said, folding Mozu’s hands in front of her. “Do you remember what to say?” she asked in a lower voice.

“I think so.” Hopefully the dialogue was not suspicious enough. Mozu heard the doors open again and Gunter stood in the doorway.

“Princess Sakura.” He bowed once more and stepped off to the side. Well, this was it. Mozu took a deep breath and exhaled through her lips. Her hands shook and she could feel them sticky with sweat. Her heart raced as she took a step forward into the throne room and then another. Looking up, she saw two male figures standing before her: one dead center and one off to her left.

The one to her left was clad in black armor with golden accents. He sported a short, dark blue cape with a high collar and stood with his hands behind his back. The curves of his face were smooth and feminine, his eyes especially. That being said, his eyes narrowed and his lips frowned in a way that made his overall appearance cold and unwelcoming. Since he was off to the side, Mozu did not assume this was Xander, so she looked straight in front of her instead.

Compared to the other, this man was tall and easily towered over most. Like the man next to him, he was covered shoulder to toe in black and gold armor. He wore a purple, short cape. His thick, wavy gold locks matched the gold on his armor and was kept by an onyx crown around his head. His face was more square with a sharper and longer jawline, lips resting in a frown. His eyebrows knit together, staring intensely at who was before him. Mozu immediately realized that he was focusing on her and when her eyes stopped upon his, she could not look away. She brought her hands closer to her chest and her eyes went wide.

That was Xander? It had to be him. She couldn’t look back to Sakura to confirm that, but her gut told her she was right and Mozu knew her gut was rarely wrong. Now that she found him, she had to follow the script that Sakura instructed her to do.

She stopped a couple of feet in front of him and waited until she could no longer hear the footsteps of her party, signaling that they had stopped too. Gunter cleared his throat. “I present,” he said, “Princess Sakura of Hoshido.”

That was her cue to bow—no, curtsey. Curtsey. Mozu extended her arms out, holding the kimono and taking her left foot, tucking it behind her right. With this, she curtseyed and went back to the way she was standing before with her knees together and hands folded in front of her. At this time, she saw Xander return from a bow and as he straightened his back, she noticed that he was at maybe two heads—at least one and then some-- taller than her. That meant he was much taller than Sakura too if they had the about same height.

Okay, they curtseyed and bowed. What was next? Right! The hand. Mozu extended her left hand—the one where the ring goes, Sakura had said -- and took a slow breath to start speaking. Just like they practiced and as organic as she could. “I am pleased to offer my hand for our two kingdoms. It is a pleasure to meet you.” She waited for the prince to proceed in bated breath, hoping he would not recognize that the real Sakura was behind her or question anything Mozu said. It felt like an eternity before he extended his right hand.

Despite the claw-like armor around his hand, he took her hand gently, not allowing the armor to press or scratch against her skin. His fingers curled around hers, thumb against her knuckles, as he drew her hand towards him. “And I as well.” His voice was a lot smoother than Mozu expected. Instead of being harsh, he had a nice richness to his voice that he need not stress it much to sound as commanding as he did. “On behalf of King Garon and our citizens, I welcome you to Nohr. May your stay bring the prosperity and peace that both kingdoms desire.” His upper half leaned down as he brought Mozu’s hand closer to his head.

Her breathing stopped as she felt his lips upon her hand. They didn’t crash onto her unceremoniously, as she expected. His kiss was as soft and tender as the way he held her hand and nothing had made her feel more like a princess than that kiss. She could not see herself now, but she felt her cheeks burning up to her ears. Xander pulled away, standing straight as he gently let go of her hand. Mozu let it drop before realizing she had to bring it back to the other hand. Now she would be dismissed, right? And then she and Sakura could talk about Xander on their own.

“Excuse me, but,” came Gunter. “Where is the king presently? And I also see that Lady Camilla and Lady Elise are absent from this audience as well.”

“If I may.” Mozu turned her attention to the one voice in the room she had not heard and that was of the man to the left. He took a step forward with a bow. “Excuse me. I am Prince Leo, your highness,” he said to Mozu. It took her a second before realizing she had to curtsey quickly as well. “King Garon was suddenly called away while you made the journey to retrieve Lady Sakura. The rebellion in Cheve is worse than we thought, so he went to put an end to it.”

Gunter nodded. “And for this, he took Lady Camilla and Lady Elise?”

“Somewhat.” He chuckled. “He left Xander and I to receive Lady Sakura and took Camilla with him. Elise, however…” He rolled his eyes with a sigh. “Escaped the castle guards with her two retainers to follow Camilla and the King.”

Gunter leaned back with a light laugh. “How very like her.”

“Unfortunately,” continued Leo, “without the king present, the royal wedding cannot commence. I am afraid we will just have to wait until his return.”

Did she hear that right? They would have to wait until the king came back? Did this change the plan? Mozu bit the inside of her cheek to avoid any worry showing on her face.

“It is unfortunate,” came Xander. “But I am sure the king will be back swiftly. In the meantime…” He turned to Mozu, which made her stand up straighter. “I would like to invite you to dinner.”

“Sounds great,” Mozu said, managing a smile. Okay, she thought. Say the next part like a princess. “I will be eager to see what cuisine Nohr has to offer.” Yes! She thought. That’s a perfect princess line. Xander nodded, his frown turning into a soft smile. She was surprised that he could even smile…and more surprised on how it complimented the rest of his look.

“Until then.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This one is a lot longer than the other chapter, do forgive me. I had to get a lot out of the way before the real story begins! Thanks for all of the lovely comments and kudos.


	3. Handmaiden Sakura

**Handmaiden Sakura**

 

One thing they both could agree on was the fact they both sorely needed a bath. Once dismissed, Sakura and Mozu had no need to ask each other; the latter knew. As they walked with their retainers out of the throne room, Mozu cleared her throat. “Charlotte?”

“Yes, Milady?” she asked, walking alongside the two. “What can I do for you?”

“You know our journey was long and so the both of us,” she said, turning to Sakura, “wish to take a bath.”

“Oh, certainly,” Charlotte replied, giving her the same honeyed smile she always had been using. “I would not blame you for that. I’ll show you to the bath.”

“Thank you.” Glad that went well. After following Charlotte and Benny through many halls and some stairs, she stopped in front of a large, purple door with golden ornaments.

“Here it is!” Charlotte said.

“Thank you,” Mozu said. “But uhm…We’ll need a change of clothes…”

Suddenly, Mozu heard Benny grunt and turned to him to see him nod. “I’ll go get them,” he said. “Or find someone who will…”

As the armored giant clanked away, Charlotte waved. “Be safe, sweetie! You two go on in and I’ll stand guard.” Mozu thanked Charlotte once more and walked into the bathroom with Sakura before shutting the door. They walked deeper into the dimly-lit room to find a large tub in the center back of the room with four columns on its corners. Off to the side was a rack with towels to be used for drying later and opposite of it was an empty basin for quick washing. Everything seemed to be provided except for the water.

Mozu and Sakura looked over into the tub and exchanged glances of confusion. “Well,” said Mozu, “should we ask?”

“No, no…I’m just remembering that Nohr doesn’t have the hot springs we’re used to.” Sakura bit her lip and scanned the tub before stopping. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing to an odd, curved shape. She groped around the tub and found just under that shape, a dial. “I think…I think the water comes out from here…”

“But how?”

“Lemme see.” With light strain, she turned the knob twice before a low, gurgling sound came from the spout. Water spat out and Mozu reached into the tub, grabbing Sakura’s hand before pushing them both back. The girls gasped, watching water magically flow into the tub as steam rose from the floor of the tub. “W-wow…the Nohrians are really advanced, aren’t they?”

“Seems like it…” Mozu stepped forward, brushing her hand under the flowing water. “It’s a nice hot, though. Like in Hoshido.” She smiled and flicked the water into the tub. “We just gotta wait for it to fill.” She reached up to the hair ornament and pulled out the pin, then she took out her bun. Sakura also took out her headband and twisted her obi to untie the bow in front.

“I can’t wait! It’s been so long.” Before she finished, she gasped. “Oh! Let me go find soap.”

“Sakura,” said Mozu, barely untying the string around her obi. “You don’t have to-“

“Aren’t I the handmaiden now?” she said, walking to an oak cupboard in the corner of the room.

“Yes, but…no one is here…”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, feeling the top shelf before feeling the next. “Besides, you have layers of clothing…aha!” She pulled out a couple of bottles, setting them on the ledge of the bathtub.

“No kidding…” Mozu sighed out once she finally got the obi untied, folding it neatly and setting it down. She removed the kimono and her underthings, setting them next to Sakura’s clothes as well. Sakura turned the knob the other way once the tub was full enough and stuck her hand in to feel the temperature. Mozu watched as she put a foot in and then another before sitting down with a relieving sigh.

“Ooh…I needed this.” Mozu giggled softly, stepping in as well. The warmth of the water soothed her skin and it already felt like it was scrubbing her clean. She sighed, feeling the hot water tingling her skin.

“I can feel the dirt just fly off,” she said, leaning against the wall. Pushing her hair back, she pinched her nose before diving her upper body under to get her hair wet. As she resurfaced and pushed the water away from her eyes, she saw that Sakura had done the same. The water had made her pink hair stick her to her neck and darkened it to a reddish color reminiscent of Princess Hinoka’s. Mozu opened her mouth to comment, but she quickly deemed it wise not to bring up Sakura’s family just yet.

“Hey,” she said. “Since you’re always washing my hair, can I wash yours?”

“I-if you insist. But, Sakura, you don’t have to _really_ be my handmaiden all of the time.”

Sakura shrugged and reached for one of the bottles on the side. “I know, but, I kind of want to see what I can do on my own. You always did everything for me back in Hoshido…” She scooted closer to Mozu, twisting the cork on the bottle to open it.

Mozu’s cheeks turned pink, so she turned around with a sigh to avoid being seen. “I-if you really want to. Yagh!” She shivered, feeling the cold soap ooze on her scalp.

“S-sorry, what did I do?”

“N-nothing. Y-you’re usually supposed to put it on your hands first…”

“O-oh! Sorry!” Sakura set the bottle down and placed her hands on Mozu’s head. At least she knew how to lather and scrub. The massage made Mozu close her eyes and drop her guard, it was so nice. She felt like a princess already, but her heart suddenly sank as she was reminded of their lie. “H-hows’ this?”

“Great! But…Sakura…” she said. “There is something I gotta say…”

“Yes?”

“This wasn’t part of the plan,” came Mozu. “The king being away.”

“Yes,” she said with a sigh. “It wasn’t. I wonder what we should do…Oh, cover your eyes.” Mozu did as she said and felt the hot water rinse away the shampoo. She scooted away to push her head underwater and get most of it off before resurfacing.

“Alright, your turn,” she said, grabbing the soap. Sakura sat down as Mozu sat on her knees and started to shampoo her hair.

“So…what do you want to do?”

“It’s up to you,” Mozu said, working up a good lather. Truthfully, Mozu started to not mind the situation. Prince Xander wasn't as intimidating as she thought and she never had retainers before. Benny didnt' speak much, but Mozu strangely knew she could trust him. Charlotte might be too nice, but she and Sakura definitely needed a guide here in Nohr. She would gladly wait until Sakura was ready to switch back. They were relaxing now, though, so she figured it would be a good idea to get her mind off it. “We should talk about something else first,”

“Like?”

“Prince Xander.”

Sakura smile and moved a little closer. “Oh, I know! He’s certainly…taller than I thought. Goodness, and I hope he doesn’t wear that armor all of the time!”

“I know! I just hope for your sake he doesn’t sleep in it.” The two girls faced each other, both now with the image of Sakura sleeping with a fully armored Xander next to her in their minds. Either from the embarrassing intimacy or the actual image, they both laughed with their cheeks pink. Once their giggles died down, Sakura reached for Mozu’s left hand.

“He kissed your hand. How was it?”

“Surprising…” Mozu said, looking down at it. “He held it so gently. And the kiss was nice! Not like a hog slobberin’ at all or just a quickie.” She sighed, trying to recreate the memory in her head. “He’s so prince-y!”

“It’s ‘princely,’” Sakura said. “So…do you approve?”

“Do I approve of what?”

“Him, silly!”

“Oh!” Mozu shook her head. “H-he’s not mine to approve, really. Cover your eyes.” She lifted some water to rinse Sakura’s hair.

“But do you?” she asked, pushing her hair away once the water fell back into the tub.

“Mmm…” Mozu scooted away to give Sakura room to rinse herself. “I don’t know enough to really make a good decision.”

Sakura dipped her head too and came back up, pushing back her hair. “But from your gut feeling. What does it say?”

“My gut? My gut says he’s handsome but he’s still gonna hafta work hard to deserve you!”

Sakura put a hand over her mouth before snorting and bursting into laughter. “Wh-what?” she asked among her giggles.

“Yeah!” Her laughs made Mozu beam. “In my village, you had to work your butt off just to propose!”

Sakura calmed down enough to clap her hands together. “Oooh? Really? Like what?”

“Well,” started Mozu. “Mama said that Grandpa wouldn’t let Papa propose unless he brought eight boars to him!”

“Ahaha! Did he?”

“Nope.”

“Awe…”

“He brought nine.” Sakura held her stomach and leaned back against the wall of the tub, giggling again. “So I guess, if I wanted to approve of Xander, he’d have to hunt and bring ya boar hogs.” Her laughs reached a high note before she began to die down a little.

“Oh, goodness,” she said sitting back up. “Don’t tell him! He seems like the type that would do it.”

“He’s gotta prove that armor is good for something.”

Sakura shook her head, reaching for a small towel on the rack and started to scrub her shoulders. “What do you think about the other prince?”

“Who, Leo?” Mozu asked, putting some oil in her hair. “I don’t know. He seems kind of mean. But I don’t know him enough either. Isn’t he closer to your age though?” she asked. “Why aren’t you marrying him instead?”

“Mother said that he was engaged already and Xander was not. Honestly, though,” she said, stopping her bathing. “I don’t know if it makes a difference.” Mozu crawled over, taking the small towel and started on her back.

“You’re right. Either way, you’re gonna be great.” Sakura turned her head.

“Thanks…you will be too.” She sighed and rested her weight against Mozu, letting her wash her back. Barely either had any time to relish the moment when a large bang at the door, making them both jump and gasp.

“Lady Sakura!” called Charlotte. “Are you okay?” The two girls momentarily forgot their roles and in a flurry of movement, Mozu fell forward and let Sakura crawl behind her, holding the small towel. Another knock rang as Sakura put the towel on Mozu’s back. “I’m coming in!”

“Wait--!“ they cried. With a loud thud, Charlotte had kicked the door open and sprinted in as the two girls screamed, covering their chests.

“What?!” Charlotte said. “You’re okay?”

“Yes!” said Sakura. “W-we’re fine!”

“You were taking so long and you didn’t answer back. I thought something had happened!” she said, putting her hands on her hips. Sakura and Mozu exchanged glances, their cheeks red as Charlotte’s façade didn't change.

“I-isn’t,” stuttered Sakura, “isn’t this h-how long b-baths usually t-take?”

“What? Nooo,” Charlotte said. She shook her head, pressing her fingers to her temple. “Oh, I’m sorry for not informing you, Princess, but water is in limited supply here in Nohr.” She shrugged. “We have to reuse any water used for baths, so, people usually don't take this long.”

“Reuse?” Mozu asked. “So…is the water we’re in now--?”

“Ahaha! Oh no! For royals, it’s fresh.” She cleared her throat. “Sorry for barging in. I’ll leave your clothes at the door!” she said with a sweet grin. She turned on her heel and strolled out to the door, placing the clothes in a basket before closing the door. Once Charlotte had left, Mozu and Sakura took a deep breath and sighed out, relaxing their tense shoulders and arms.

“I had no idea,” Sakura said, “that even royals had a limit with their water.”

“I just feel bad that they have to reuse the water,” Mozu said, standing up and letting the water trickle down her body. “Maybe we’re in a drought?” she said, stepping out and grabbing a towel for herself and Sakura.

“I doubt it,” the princess said, standing up. “Nohr has always been fighting with Hoshido for resources. I didn’t know it was to this scale, though.” Mozu put the towel around her shoulders and helped Sakura outside of the tub. Sakura knelt on the floor, reaching inside the bath, pulling a chain and watching as the water swirled into the drain. “C’mon, we have to prepare you for dinner.” Mozu nodded and followed Sakura to the basket where their new clothes resided. They were able to slip on the smallclothes easily but then they were left with two dresses: one ornate, purple dress and one beige, plain dress. Mozu lifted the purple dress as Sakura lifted the other.

“Geeze,” Mozu sighed, turning it around. “How do you put this on?”

“Should we call Charlotte?” Sakura asked.

“No, no. We should figure this out. Lemme help you with yours first.” Sakura’s dress was easier than they thought as it merely slipped on over her head. It fit her snuggly but she was still a little smaller. Mozu’s dress, however, took them a while. Getting it over her head was easy; tying the corset behind it was not. “It’s a criss cross!” Mozu said for the tenth time.

“I know, I know! It’s a lot harder than it looks,” Sakura said. “Okay, maybe if I just…”

“YACK!” Mozu gasped for breath. “Can’t…breath…” she said, her voice strained. 

“That means its working!” Sakura said. “Okay, I think I got it…” Mozu endured getting the wind knocked out of her for a couple of minutes before Sakura yanked the last knot and Mozu felt the air leave her. “Yes, got it.”

“Yeah…I think you did.” Sakura reached up and gathered Mozu’s hair into a tight bun, tying it. 

“There. Now you look great!”

The two girls walked outside and allowed the retainers to lead them to the temporary guest suite for the princess. They stood guard as the girls walked inside, marveling at the high, painted ceiling and large, four-poster bed with a purple and velvet canopy. Mozu tried to suck in as much as air as possible, but the dress squeezed her so tightly that her chest couldn’t puff out at all.

“I wonder how he’ll be at dinner,” Sakura said, walking around the room as Mozu sat on the bed.

“Oh, right! Dinner! Uhm, what do I need to know for that?” she asked.

“Huh? Well…” Sakura put a finger to her chin as she hummed in thought. “I don’t know much about Nohrian customs when it comes to formal dining. I just know they use the fork and knife I told you about.”

“Drat…Sakura, I don’t know how to use either.” She frowned.

“You think there’s some in here?”

“Uhm…” Sakura stood up and walked around the suite. As she walked from one end to the other, Mozu noticed how much larger it was than Sakura’s old bedroom. If this was a guest room, she wondered how large Xander’s room was. Sakura opened cabinets and drawers, but all she found were Nohrian clothes and gowns and a vanity set. After rummaging through the last drawer, she sighed and turned back to Mozu. “I’ll go find some so we can practice!”

“Wait!” she said, standing up. “Are you sure you can go around the castle? I mean you’re…you’re…”

“I’m just a handmaiden now,” she said. “I’m sure no one will question me fetching whatever the princess wants…right?”

Come to think of it, that seemed about right. Mozu did the same for her in Shirasagi, so why couldn’t Sakura pretend to be Mozu for the time being? That is… “So, are you going to be me?”

“Well, since I know you a lot, I think I could do it. You…you don’t mind, do you?”

“O-of course not! It’s just…funny, I guess,” Mozu said, walking over to her. “I know I’m pretendin’ to be you but it’s funny to think that you’re gonna be a lil’ country gal like me,” she said, ending with a smile.

“A lil’ country gal,” Sakura repeated. “I think I got it. Stay tight, Mozu. I mean! Lady Sakura!” She laughed, twisting the doorknob.

“And you be safe, Mozu!” Goodness, calling someone else Mozu left a strange taste on her tongue. Sakura showed herself out and closed the door behind her. With that, Mozu walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room and took a look at herself. There wasn’t a mirror in the carriage so this was the first time she got to see herself as Sakura. The hair looked out of place for someone like her, on the account that it was short. She pressed two fingers to her freckles, stretching out her face. She wondered if freckles were common in Nohr. Usually, they were a sign of laboring out in the fields like she used to. Thankfully, the dress hid the imperfections left by tans and old scars when her hunting got careless.

She knew Sakura had none of them.

* * *

The easiest place to find a fork and knife would be the kitchen, thought Sakura. Except, where was the kitchen? She looked to the hall on her right and then to the hall on her left. She inhaled air through her nose until her chest puffed out. Which way to go? Her head turned to her right. Well, it’s called the right path for a reason? She giggled to herself before deciding to embark that way. After trekking a good ways, she came across a large staircase that led up and down. It made sense to her to go down to the common levels of the castle, so down she went. Huh, she thought. _I just might find the kitchen by myself!_

Oh how wrong she was. She must have taken a wrong turn somewhere because now, as she looked outside the window, she seemed higher than before, but that couldn’t be right. She hadn’t seen a soul in a while and she still had to teach Mozu how to use them.

Suddenly, the sound of faint footsteps came from the other side of the hall and she could faintly hear other voices too. The first clear voice was smooth, yet rugged, and she heard him say, “Simple. It’s not hard.” The second voice was that of a loud guffaw.

“Geeze, Niles, that’s gross!” he wheezed, laughing louder as he grew closer.

Coming into view were three men. Sakura didn’t recognize two of them but she certainly recognized Prince Leo leading them, his expression as dull as before. As he noticed her and the two made eye contact, Sakura gasped and curtseyed, wobbling a little. “Pr-Prince Leo!”

“Ah. You were with Princess Sakura earlier. I didn’t catch your name.”

“M-Mozu,” she replied. “My name is Mozu.” She cast her attention to the two men behind Leo. One was dark skinned with an eyepatch and he wore clothes commonly associated with thieves. The other was dressed in the traditional mage’s outfit, but with yellow instead of darker colors. “P-pleased to meet you.”

“What are you doing over here?” Leo asked.

“I was, uhhh, looking for the k-kitchen.” She turned away, cheeks pink from embarrassment. “Though, all I seemed t-to do w-was get myself l-lost. I’m t-terribly s-sorry.” Though incoherent, she heard the dark-skinned one whisper to the mage and then saw the mage snicker.

“Zip it,” came Leo without batting an eye or even turning around. “Do forgive my retainers. Now then. The kitchen? What for?”

“I uhh…” She realized that the real reason was believable enough as it was. “M-my lady w-wishes to b-be prepared f-for this evening. Unfortunately, s-she has n-never used a fork and knife b-before.”

“Mhmm…” Leo said. “And…you know how to use them?”

“Yes!”

“How does a Hoshidan handmaiden know how to use a fork and knife?” the prince asked, his eyes narrowing. The color flushed from Sakura’s face and her heart rate accelerated.

“Uhm…” she said, breaking eye contact. “It’s…a l-long story.”

“I see,” Leo said, his face softening. “Perhaps another time then.”

“Yes, perhaps!” Sakura smiled and nodded, trying to sell it further.

“I understand your concern. Unfortunately, Miss Mozu, judging by the current time, you might be too late.”

Sakura’s eyes widened. “T-too late? Wh-what do you mean, ‘too late’?” 

* * *

Mozu puckered her lips, trying to see if she could suck in air that way. She got a couple of seconds in before her chest tried to extend beyond what the dress would allow. She exhaled, feeling as if she barely breathed in any air at all. “I’m glad Sakura’s not wearing this…” she said, groaning as she picked herself off the bed. “This is more of a bear trap than a dress!”

Speaking of Sakura, Mozu finally heard the knock on the door. She waited for Sakura to walk through with the fork and knife, but instead, it was Charlotte’s cheery face that she was met with. “It’s time for dinner, Lady Sakura!”

“Wh-wha? But, my handmaiden…”

“Don’t worry. Benny will tell her you went to dinner. Follow me, please!”

When Charlotte turned her back, Mozu tried to take a deep breath to calm herself, but was quickly met with resistance. Her head felt light as she reluctantly followed Charlotte out of the room. Looks like she’ll have to wing it with the fork and knife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of filler but the next chapter will definitely have good interaction between the princes and the girls. I thought it was important to establish a couple of things :P Thank you so much for all of the kudos and comments! It really motivates me to write more!


	4. Fine Dining

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a 6-page chapter for you. A little shorter, but I promise it's got worthy stuff! I was so excited to write it that I got it done early lmaoo which is great because I need some time to figure out what's next. So, please enjoy!

**Fine Dining**

 

“Mozu.” Sakura stopped in her tracks and glanced at the prince and his retainers behind her. “I’m sure Lady Sakura will be fine. Besides,” he said, walking to her. “Prince Xander specifically requested that they be left alone.”

Sakura pressed her lips together, her fingers curling into fists. “L-left alone? Why?” she asked as a sudden feeling of concern washed over.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Leo asked. “He wants to get to know his betrothed.”

“And,” said the man with the eye-patch, “when you say ‘get to know’…”

Leo’s expression turned sour as he glanced back at the dark-skinned man. “Niles,” he said, his tone exasperated. “Not now.”

“But,” asked Sakura. “What _do_ you mean?”

“Exactly as I said,” Leo said, turning back to her. “Trust me. Xander is nothing less than an honorable man. He simply wants to see what kind of woman he’s marrying.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Sakura said, sighing with relief. “M-my lady is v-very interested in l-learning about her future husband a-as well.” She smiled, folding her hands in front of her, wondering if Mozu would be okay. Though, she wasn’t an idiot and she seemed to pass fine so far. Perhaps Sakura shouldn’t have to worry.

“They’ll be fine,” Leo said, his voice softer. Sakura noticed a slight smile creep on his lips. “I’ll escort you back to your room, Miss Mozu.”

“Awe,” whined the blond retainer, his expression dropping. “But, Milord Leo, what about—“

“You two are dismissed.”

The blond mage pouted, muttering something under his breath. Niles snorted, wrapping an arm around the mage. “C’mon, Odin,” he said, turning them around. “I’ll finish that story about the Lusty Hoshidan Priestess.” The very thought of that turned Sakura’s face sour as well.

Odin burst into laughter, following Niles down the hallway. “Oh man! Yes! My spellhand has been waiting for the thrilling conclusion!”

Once the two were out of earshot, Leo sighed and dropped his shoulders. Seeing his retainers reminded her of Hana and Subaki. She missed them dearly and she would never forget how they came to her service. Leo obviously had a different relationship with them, but she could tell he had a special bond with them like she did with her own. “They’re...interesting…” she said, watching his expression.

“Believe me,” he said, “they’re usually only this aggravating around guests.”

“Seems like they just like to tease you.”

Leo chuckled. “Indeed.” He stood up straight. “Shall we, Miss Mozu?”

“A-actually,” she said, standing next to him. “M-Mozu is alright.” He nodded and extended his arm toward her. With a soft blush, Sakura wrapped her arm through his and allowed him to lead her through the halls.

“So tell me,” he said. “How did you become in service with Lady Sakura?”

“Oh...” Sakura had to recall the details Mozu had divulged to her earlier. She remembered the basics, so it was best to start with those. “My parents were killed by bandits.” Nohrian bandits, she almost said. “So I started delivering goods to the castle. One day, Lady Sakura met me and asked about me.” She smiled, fondly remembering her first encounter with Mozu. Initially, she approached her after seeing how similar they were in age. Upon hearing of the absence of her family, Sakura was more than happy to take her in. “Since then, I’ve been serving her.”

“I see,” Leo said slowly. “I’m sorry about your parents.”

“It’s okay.” And it really was. At least Sakura had her entire family. She couldn’t imagine what Mozu went through before becoming her servant, being all alone like that. “What about the rest of your family?”

“Well…”

* * *

Charlotte opened the door to the dining room, stepping aside so Mozu could walk in. It was smaller and cozier than she thought. The room only had a long table and chairs, but the fireplace stuck out the most. She felt less intimidated by the smallness of the room, which was great since she could hardly breathe as it was. Her attention was called to the man standing in front of the fire place. As the door closed behind her, she peered her eyes to make out Xander’s tall figure. He faced the fire, adjusting the collar on his shirt and making sure it was tucked into his vest. Even without his armor, he looked slightly intimidating with that perpetual knit in his eyes.

He turned around to face her before walking to the seat on the right of the head of the table. “Welcome,” he said, pulling out the chair.

“Oh…” Mozu took a couple of steps towards him. “Thanks…i-is it just gonna be us?” she asked, sitting in the chair and allowing him to push it in.

“Yes, it will.” He walked to his own chair. “Is that a problem?” he asked. Mozu looked up and could see the slightest bit of concern in his face, but it convinced her enough.

“Not at all. It will give us a lot to talk about…I guess...” She cleared her throat, sitting up straight and trying to suck in some air again, but quietly now. Her arms extended straight, her fists on her lap and bunching up the dress. Her head started to throb a little too. She had to keep a straight face; a real princess would take this no problem. “S-so…what’s for dinner?”

“I tried to request something Nohrian as a welcoming gift,” he said, his frown relaxing almost to a smile. “It’s not terribly elaborate, I promise.”

“Wow! I can’t wait.” Perhaps she was just hungry. Once she ate, maybe her headache would go away.

“Speaking of gifts.” Xander reached into his pocket and took out a small, black box. Mozu’s heart began to race and she desperately wanted more air but the damn dress would not allow it. Oh no, she thought. Please don’t be the ring, please don’t be the ring. She held her breath as Xander opened the box and revealed not a ring, but rather two silver dropdown earrings, shaped like small vines. Along their design were two deep, dark amethysts per ring, their facets reflecting the fire’s light in a way that Mozu had never seen in a jewel before. Her awestruck face was welcomed in the current situation, thankfully.

“Oh my…” she said in a soft, almost whisper. She swore she could see her face faintly in each individual facet.

Xander chuckled. “I’m pleased they’re to your liking.” He set the box down and placed both earrings into the palm of his hand. “Would you please?...” he asked, extending his hand.

Mozu was about to reach for them when she realized one crucial detail. Her fingers touched her earlobes as if searching for a piercing that was not there. “Uhm…” she said, unsure how to relate the news. Perhaps it was best to just come out with it. “I apologize, Lord Xander. I really do love them, they’re beautiful!”

“…But…” he said, setting his hand against the table.

“My ears are not pierced. B-but!” she said, “Such a gift can’t go to waste. I will get my ears pierced…tonight even!”

“I see,” he said, placing the earrings back into the box. “I must also apologize, Lady Sakura,” He cast his gaze down, “for assuming that Hoshido practices the same cosmetics as Nohr.”

“Oh, no no!” Mozu put her hand over his on the box. “There was no way you could have known! Besides, i-ff I pierce my ears soon, it just m-means it’s a delayed gift!”

Xander looked up, his expression initially perplexed, but it softened once again. A small smile happened on his lips. “A delayed gift. Thank you for humoring me, Lady Sakura.”

“Well…” she said, “since we’re gonna be…m…m…wed soon, maybe you can call me m…Sakura,” she said.

“Alright, Sakura, then you may simply refer to me as Xander.” Mozu kept her gaze on his, returning the soft smile he gave her. In the couple of seconds of bliss, she realized her hand felt strangely warm. She slowly looked down to realize she left her hand on his all this time. His fingers moved slightly and she instantly pulled her hand away, sitting back in her seat.

Something about this felt wrong deep in the pit of her stomach. Or maybe it was just her lightheadedness again. She tried to sneak in some more air as Xander took the box back and cleared his throat. She heard him take a breath to start speaking but there was a loud knock on the door. Mozu turned her attention toward the door as butlers walked in, carrying trays of food. One plate was set before her and one before Xander as the other butlers set down forks, knives, and napkins. The napkins she recognized, but Mozu stared at the fork and knife, wondering how in the world people ate with those. Before the butlers left, they pulled the covers off the plates to reveal the food underneath. As they bowed and left them alone, Mozu stared at the food on her plate, trying to figure out what it was.

On the side, she could recognize the roasted potatoes and herbs, but she could not piece together the main entrée. On the outside, it looked like a big pastry, like a loaf of bread. Surely dinner was not a giant pastry, was it? Without considering the politeness of her statement, Mozu asked, “what is it?”

“Ah, I suppose it does look strange. Watch.” He picked up the fork in his left hand and the knife in his right as she noted how he held the two instruments. With his left, he used the fork to press into the pastry. With his right, he used the knife in a sawing motion across the entrée, cutting a small piece. Mozu leaned over to see what the filling was and her eyes widened once Xander cut deep enough. Inside, she could see the unmistakable pink center and brown edges of beef. Once he had cut the piece off, he anchored his fork again and cut it in half, making it small enough for a bite. “We call this beef pastry.” He pressed his fork into the bite that had both meat and pastry around it, bringing it closer to her. “Please, try it.”

Without hesitation, Mozu leaned forward and took the bite off the fork with her teeth before sitting back down. Before she let her tongue taste it, she saw Xander’s puzzled look on his face. Oh, she thought. I definitely should have taken the fork instead of…whatever that was. Xander cleared his throat, bringing the fork to the napkin to wipe the prongs. “So…”

“Mh!” Mozu quickly chewed, allowing herself to taste the juices from the meat and crispiness of the pastry. Strangely enough, it worked together in a texture and taste she never had before. The pastry was not overly sweet, but it complemented the salty beef. Normally, it would be dry, but that was easily compensated by the beef’s juices wearing it down. “Mmm…” She swallowed, turning to him. “Wow that is delicious! I’ve certainly never had anything like that back in Hoshido.”

“I’m pleased that you like it. It’s one of my favorite dishes,” he said, cutting more pieces into bites. _I could do that_ , thought Mozu. She took the fork in her left and knife in her right, just like him. Without considering the position of the fork, she pressed it somewhere far from where she was cutting, and until the prongs were deep into the meat. She brought the knife to the corner of the beef pastry, trying to get that small morsel. Just like Xander, she began a sawing motion. Alright, not too bad, but she wanted to go faster to fake her proficiency. Apparently, beef pastry is not that hard to cut through because with a little force, she made it all the way down and made a high-pitched scraping sound with the knife when she reached the plate.

She felt herself and saw Xander flinch from the screeching noise and her cheeks flared red. “S-sorry,” she said, still feeling chills from that awful noise. Goodness, and now, her headache felt worse than before. She held the fork icepick style and ripped a piece off that way, not caring if Xander looked at her questionably. Mozu popped a rather large piece of beef pastry into her mouth and stabbed at a potato as she chewed. As she swallowed and brought the fork closer to her, she noticed how her hand trembled and how the rest of her felt jittery. Okay, okay, she thought. You need to breathe…breathe!

She tried to inhale again and again, but once again…

“Sakura?” asked Xander. Mozu put her fingers to her throbbing head; she was at the point where she could hear her heartbeat. “Sakura!”

Her vision blurred as she tried to finally gasp for air but to no avail. Her chest felt crushed and her lungs felt blocked. As she could barely feel anything in her body, her weight slumped to the side. In a blur of motion, Mozu found herself on the floor with the right side of her body jolting from pain. She heard Xander yell Sakura’s name once more before she closed her eyes.

Xander threw his napkin and utensils on the table and dashed out of his seat to her side. “Gods…” he breathed, taking her into his arms. He had to get her to the nearest guest room, he knew that. He made a mad dash to the door, kicking it open. There, he startled Charlotte, but by her yelp, she seemed more surprise by the fainted Mozu. “Oh my gosh! Oh no!”

“Get help!” he cried, running to the direction of the nearest room. He heard Charlotte yell an affirmative but his mind was focused on the girl in his arms. As he stopped in front of the door, he shifted her weight against his torso so he could hold her with one arm. As he turned the knob with one hand, the other brushed against the bindings on the back of her dress. Could it be? He thought. Once the door was open, he pushed through and gently laid her on the bed. He took a second to catch his breath after running and turned her on her side, her back facing him. Once again, he touched the ties and realized they were extremely taut. “Goodness…” he breathed, hooking his fingers along the bottom, trying to pull on the ribbons to untie them. Unfortunately, from the wheezing gasp she let out, that wasn’t happening. “Dammit, dammit!” Xander grit his teeth, knowing that all that mattered was that she was safe. “Forgive me for this,” he said, putting both of his hands on the bindings and gripping them. He tightened his fists and summoned all of his strength into his hands, taking a deep breath before ripping the ties apart and freeing her torso.

* * *

 Sakura laughed in tune with Leo’s own chuckle. “Really?” she asked. “You must have received quite the scolding.”

“Yes, indeed,” Leo said. “But it brought Xander and I closer together.”

“You seem to love your brother a lot, hm?” she asked.

“Well, I…of course.” Leo cleared his throat and averted his gaze. “You know, as brothers do.”

Sakura smiled warmly. “You remind me of—," Her lips shut at that moment. No, no, she couldn’t tell him that he reminded her of Takumi. Of course, it was common for Mozu to briefly interact with the rest of her family, but she already felt like she was on thin ice with the fork and knife situation.

“Remind you of?...”

“Ah…just someone I knew once; it’s not important. He also had a big brother he admired.” There, at least she could keep it vague. As they neared the bedroom, Leo stopped. “Hm? What’s…” His eyes looked ahead and Sakura suddenly heard quick footsteps, like someone was running. “Hm?”

She saw Charlotte running in their direction, panting heavily. Her eyes widened when she noticed the two of them and came to a stop. “L-Lord Leo!” she gasped.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s Lady Sakura!” In the pause between her breaths, Sakura’s heart raced again.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice fraught with worry.

“She…she…” Charlotte stood up straight. “She fainted…dunno...what fro!.” Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no. 

“Bring me to her!” Sakura cried. “I can help!” Yes, at least that. At least her shrine maiden training would not go to waste.

“You?” asked Leo, turning to her.

“Yes, please, Charlotte! Lead me to her!” Please, Mozu, she thought. Please, please, please be okay! Wait for me, Mozu!

* * *

Mozu awoke abruptly, suddenly taking a large gasp of air. Without taking time to register her environments, she coughed and took deep, hasty breaths of sweet air. She closed her eyes, just appreciating the fact that she could breath again and how amazing it felt. Never again, she thought. Never, ever! A warm hand gently pressed against her cheek, turning her so she faced upwards. She slowly opened her eyes and let them adjust. There, sitting next to her was Xander. His chest moved up and down like he had just been running and Mozu could feel the small layer of sweat on his palm. When her eyes met his, his entire face softened and he sighed in relief. The prince spoke to her in a gentle, low voice. “Thank goodness you’re okay…”

“Wh-what happened?”

“It seems your handmaiden tied your dress far too tight. You couldn’t breathe could you?” Mozu shook her head. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I-I thought this was how Nohrian style was…I d-didn’t want to upset you.” Technically, she knew the fault lied within the both of them, seeing as how Sakura didn’t know the proper tightness of the dress either. But Sakura was the handmaiden now; the royals would be much more eager to punish a handmaiden for ignorance than lay the fault with a princess.

“No, no…” he said. “Sakura, please don’t believe that you have to please or impress me at every second. We…we will be equals in our future marriage.” He slipped his hand to her shoulder blades and helped her sit up. Mozu noticed that she felt his hand against her bare skin and only now did she realize that he had ripped the back of her dress to allow her to breathe. Strangely, she didn’t so much as flinch against the movement. She sat up, leaning against his arm as she gazed up at him. "That, I can promise you."

“Oh gosh…silly me…” she said, her hand reaching for his. “I never thanked you, so…thanks.” She managed a smile as she squeezed his hand, trying to tell him that she was fine.

“I would do it again and again. You never have to worry.” He returned the smile and for a moment, Mozu finally got a good look at his eyes. Purple and dark, like the rest of Nohr, but proud. His eyes did not narrow like before and she thought how nice it was for him to let go that frown that he had when they first met. He felt like a cozy bed, like she could take a nap in his arms.

Suddenly, the moment was lost when she heard a yell and Charlotte sped into the doorway with Sakura trailing behind her. “Lady Sakura!” she yelled. “You’re!-“

“I-I’m okay!” Mozu said, her hand letting go of Xander’s. Sakura ran up to her, trying to catch her breath.

“L-Lady Sak…Sakura…”

“I-it’s okay…Mozu,” she said, turning to her. “I’m okay. Xander saved me.” A look of relief washed over Sakura’s face and she turned to Xander, bowing.

“Th-thank you…thank you so much…”

“It was nothing. Next time, don’t tie your mistress’s dress so tight.”

Sakura’s face turn pink and she bowed again. “I’m so sorry…”

“It’s not your fault,” Mozu said. “Neither of us knew what we were doing…” She scooted off the bed and walked towards Sakura. “I guess I better change then,” she said, trying to look at her back.

“Of course,” said Xander, standing up as well. “I’m sorry you didn’t have the chance to enjoy dinner.”

“Actually,” she said, turning to him. “I kinda liked it anyway....” She smiled, curtsying before walking towards the door with Sakura. Once in the doorway, she turned her head to him just to see his face again and nodded. “Thank you…once again.”


	5. Letters from Cheve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi ya'll. Another 9 pager for ya. Some backstory and plot setup here. I also want to let you know that this is my interpretation of Garon that is not Anankos'd so bear with me, if you please. Enjoy! Any comment or kudos is greatly appreciated!
> 
> Edit:: So I forgot to mention there are some sketches and whatnot being done on my tumblr which is over here if ya'll are interested: sakialumei.tumblr.com 
> 
> I post a lot of sketches :U

**Letters from Cheve**

 

 “I am so, so, so sorry!” Sakura cried. “I didn’t mean to, I promise!”

Mozu held up her hands. “Sakura, I know!” she said. “I know…’sides, I might’ve made the same mistake too.” She put her hand on the princess’s shoulder.

“Well…okay…” she said, taking a deep breath. “I guess all we can do now is find you a different dress.” Sakura looked towards the cabinet of the suite and walked over to the two black trunks in front of it. “Oh, good. They unloaded our clothes!”

“Whew…I’d rather wear a kimono right now,” Mozu said, slipping the ripped dress off her shoulders. She stepped out of it and held it in front of her, examining the corset ties. She was surprised that they actually looked torn with seams coming out of the uneven ends. Xander must have been pretty strong to rip them with his bare hands. Yet, he was the same Xander that held her cheek gently and the same one whose face was fraught with worry when she awoke.

Mozu frowned, her shoulders dropping as she tossed the dress aside. “Sakura,” she said in a low voice.

“Hm?” she asked, turning around with a kimono in her arms.

“You’re really lucky to marry someone like him.” She forced a little smile.

“Wh-what?” she asked with a small laugh.

“He said...said that he would do anything to save you and that you two will be equals. I just know that in my village, we’d ‘preciate a man like that.”

Sakura’s cheeks turned pink as she turned her head to the side. “W-wow…it’s n-nice to know th-that he’s respectful,” she said, walking towards her. “That was o-one of my fears.”

“Don’t worry. If he turns out not to be, I’ll make sure he learns,” Mozu said. “We don’t tolerate that in my village either!”

“Haha!” she said, holding up the kimono. “Actually, Mozu…I wanted your opinion on something.”

She slipped her arms through the sleeves and fitted the robe around her body. “Yes?”

“I want to keep this…whole thing up. Just for a bit longer.”

That didn’t surprise Mozu, but she continued to listen. “Why?”

“I think…okay, so Nohr is really strapped for resources. That’s why so many thieves invaded Hoshido on their own.” She wrapped the obi around Mozu’s waist. “That’s why we set up a peace treaty to help them out in exchange for protection and manpower should we need it.” She turned Mozu around to tighten and straighten the kimono. “But I think it’s obvious Nohr needs better management. If the royals can barely have any water then what about the commoners?”

“Wow,” sighed Mozu. “That’s really thoughtful of you…”

“And now that I am posing as a commoner, I can better take the time to learn about Nohr and what the country needs!” She smiled but her eyes burned with determination. “So in the time we wait for the king to return, I’m going to learn all I can about Nohr,”

“That’s great!” Mozu said, returning the smile. “I’m sure Nohr will thank you for it too! But…how exactly are you going to do it?”

“I think I’m going to start with Prince Leo.”

“Wha?” Mozu said, her face now twisting in confusion. “The prince? Really?”

“He’s very attentive to culture…I think…” she said, narrowing her eyes. “He grew suspicious when I accidentally said I knew how to use a fork and knife and you didn’t.”

“Geeze…” Mozu scratched the back of her neck. “Did he believe you?”

“I think so. But that’s not important.” She shook her head. “I think he’s a good place to start.”

“Well, it seems good to me!” Mozu said. And it really did. Now that they both knew that Xander was a good match, the next best thing would be to help out Nohr. Hopefully, Mozu thought, that that would be it. The king couldn’t be gone for that long anyway. Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a rhythm of knocks at the door.

“Hi!” called a cheerful female voice, certainly one neither of them recognized. Sakura shrugged and walked to the door, answering it. There in the doorway stood a girl taller than Sakura wearing a white armor uniform. She wore her curly blue hair in two pigtails with the tips ending in pink. She tilted her head with a smile. “I’m Peri, Xander’s retainer.”

“Peri?” Sakura asked. She opened her mouth to ask another question but Peri interrupted her.

“Yes! P for pulverize, E for eviscerate, R for ruin, and I for impale!” That sentence by itself sent shivers down Mozu’s spine and she could clearly see Sakura stiffen up as well.

“O-oh…it’s quite nice to meet you! P-please come in.” If she was Xander’s retainer, Mozu thought, then she should be fine…but something did seem off. Peri strolled in with a hum and it was only when Sakura closed the door did she see a small kit box in Peri’s hand.

“Greetings,” Mozu said, focusing her attention from the box to Peri. “I-I’m Sakura. You said you’re Prince Xander’s r-retainer?”

“Yup!” she said with a wide grin. “That’s me! I passed by him and he told me about you.” She presented the box in front of her. “And he told me you didn’t have your ears pierced!”

Mozu blinked in surprise. “Ah, yes…that’s true--,"

“Oh, this’ll be fun! You can lie down and I’ll pierce them for you!”

Mozu’s expression fell as her fingers reached to her face to protect her earlobes. “Wha-what? R-right now?” Her heart raced with the anticipation of the pain. Or, she assumed there would be pain. After all, a needle had to be stabbed through. Was Xander’s retainer even qualified of doing this sort of thing anyway? She quickly turned to Sakura whose expression was also dubious.

“Wh-what do you do think?” she asked her.

Sakura blinked, glancing between the retainer and Mozu. “Well…uhm…” She pressed her lips into a fine line. “I…I think you should do it!” Now she sounded excited. “B-because it’s fashionable…isn’t it?” she asked Peri.

“Yup!” she said, pushing her hair away to reveal the studs on her lobes. “All Nohrian nobles have earrings. Lady Elise wear’s them all the time,” she said, opening up the box.

Mozu took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed. She looked towards Sakura and made a small finger motion, pointing to her own ear lobes. Sakura blinked in surprise and waited until Peri to turn her back on them to move her pink hair away and reveals her own lobes. Two studs. She fixed her hair and nodded to Mozu. _She’s telling me that I have to get them pierced_ , Mozu thought. Peri walked back, holding a needle to a candle’s fire. Sakura walked over and squeezed Mozu’s hand. “Oookhay!” Peri said, bringing the needle away. “Here we go!”

* * *

Xander was always awake early in the morning, as his father had taught him. He always said that the day does not favor a man who wastes it sleeping. To Xander, it was simple math: up earlier means more things get done. He enjoyed his morning tea in his study as usual, looking over letters sent by nobles and governors around Nohr. His father’s absence gave him a good taste of what ruling felt like and though he was intimidated, he knew he could do the job. In a way, it was almost comforting. As he leaned back to sip his tea, a knock came at the door. “Come in,” he set, setting it down.

“Milord.” He recognized the calm hum of his male retainer, Laslow. “Got you a sweet roll that isn’t terribly sweet,” he said, setting the small plate down in front of him. “And this came an hour ago by wyvern,” he said, presenting a letter with a purple wax stamp in the middle.

“Hm? From father…” Xander said, taking the letter in his hands. He looked at the back that neatly said “To Prince Xander of Nohr.” He pushed the envelope open and found not one, but two pieces of parchment inside with two different handwritings. Xander recognized the neat and rigid handwriting that was his father’s first and looked it over.

_Xander, my son._

_In this letter, I bring good news and bad. Good news is that the rebellion here in Cheve is being squashed and taken care of. Camilla is a great help and Elise is surprisingly shaping up to be a decent healer. I wish you could see how elegant they are on the battlefield. I expect nothing less from my own daughters! However, their leader is persistent and seems to burn out troops as if they were ants. This will take us a while for sure. At the time I am writing this, I received word that Nohr had successfully retrieved Princess Sakura. I hope by the time you read this, she has arrived. Princess Sakura, once married, will be treated like one of Nohr’s own daughters and I have the same expectations for her as I do for our dear Camilla and Elise. By the time I come back, I want Sakura educated on her new country and home. She is to be queen and by the gods I expect her to be a good one! It is your duty as her future king and husband to show her around Nohr and acquaint her with our beloved country. Hopefully, this will give you two enough time to bond as a couple and as partners before I return. I believe your sisters will write to you some advice. I know you will do us proud, my son._

_Your father, Garon of Nohr._

Xander smiled softly, chuckling as he handed it back to Laslow. “Look like we’re going on a field trip.”

“Oh?” he asked, taking the letter. While Laslow read that one, Xander could read Camilla and Elise’s letter. He cleared his throat and presented it before him.

_Hello my darling, Xander_

_I heard you should have met your future fiancée by now. I do hope she is as cute as the rumors say. Cheve is wonderful. I am having a lot of fun with little darling Elise! She is an expert with the staves now! I do hope it is not boring without us. Haha! Our father wanted me to give you some advice, so here we go. Please do try to smile. We wouldn’t want her to think all you do is frown. You’ll scare the poor girl! I bet you frowned when I wrote that too. Second, be patient. Hoshido is very different from Nohr and there will be things she may not know or understand. If she sees you trying to acclimate her with patience, I am sure she will appreciate it. When I get back, I expect that little princess to be head over heels for you. I believe in you, dear brother. Here is Elise._

Xander noticed the change from elegant cursive to bubbly standard.

_Big brother, I am so excited to write to you! The battle here is hard but I am helping a lot of people. Daddy was really mad at first but now I think he appreciates me here. How’s Leo? He’s the only one without anything exciting going on. Or is his fiancée there too? Oh but I heard Sakura is near my age! I can’t wait to be friends with her and then she’ll be my sister-in-law! So treat her nicely, Xander, okay? I’m running out of paper so bye._

Laslow chuckled too, setting the letter down and looking over Xander’s shoulder. “So, when shall we leave?”

“I have to ask her first,” Xander said, setting down the letters. “In addition, she has been traveling for a month. I think we should give her a week’s rest at least.”

“Mmm…” Laslow said in his usual low voice. “Good for you, Milord, putting our new lady’s needs before yours.”

He cleared his throat. “It’s only fair,”

“A tour of Nohr doesn’t sound like a bad idea, though,” he said. “Or of this castle.”

“Castle,” Xander said before taking a sip of tea. “Tour of the castle is a better place to start…”

* * *

Morning had come for Mozu; her natural clock awakened her at an early hour. She swung her legs off the side of the bed and stretched out her arms towards the ceiling. It took her a moment to recall all of yesterday’s events from arriving at Windmire, to meeting Xander, to that dinner that she fainted at. As she walked to the basin and mirror, she parted her hair and pushed it back. Ah yes, and the evening’s last event, she thought, looking at her newly pierced lobes. Peri had actually done a better job than she thought, according to Sakura. Yes, it was painful, but very quick until Peri switched the needle with a small stud. The second one was a little easier. Sakura told her later how the lobe was not very red and it didn’t throb, meaning she did it safely too.

Mozu smiled, admiring the new studs in the mirror. It did change the look of her face; made her look like less of a country gal. She couldn’t wait for them to heal so she could wear Xander’s gift. Right, Xander’s gift…she frowned, looking into the mirror still. Probably by the time she healed, Sakura would be walking down the aisle in the same earrings. After all, they were meant for Princess Sakura, not some pauper named Mozu. She shook her head. Get it together, she thought. _You’re doing this for Sakura. For Sakura. Not you._

Speaking of Sakura, she wondered if her fake servant was even awake yet. Mozu was always the one to come into Sakura’s room, gently wake, and dress her in the morning back in Hoshido. They had sent her to the servants’ quarters to sleep and Mozu stayed up half the night worrying about Sakura. Was the bed comfortable for her? Were the other servants treating her nicely? She thought it would be easy to fall asleep in the luxury bed she was given but she was mistaken.

Mozu pulled on a robe and tied it around her nightgown, yawning as she turned the knob on her door. Upon opening it, she heard a deep gasp and a cough. “Oh!” She turned the corner on her door to see Benny, out of armor and in civilian clothes, leaning against the wall and coughing.

“S-so sorry, Princess. You just caught me off guard,” he said, clearing his throat and pounding on his chest. “G-good morning.”

“G-good morning!” Strange how someone as small as her caught a bear like Benny off guard. “I’m sorry that I scared you.”

“It’s okay. Is something the matter?” he asked.

“No, no. I was just going to see if my handmaiden was here--." Loud footsteps and panting breaths cut off her sentence. She looked to her right and saw Sakura bolting towards her.

“I’m here!” she shouted, halting to a stop in front of her. She knelt over, hands on her knees as she struggled to take a breath. “I’m…here…” She coughed a bit before standing upright and taking a huge breath.

“S-Mozu!” she said. “Why did you run here?”

“I was…I was late…I apologize,”

“No, no…” she said. “Come in, come in. Excuse us,” she told Benny. The corners of his lips turned into a rather sweet smile as he attained a tall stance. Mozu let Sakura in and closed the door behind them. “How did you sleep?”

“Alright, I suppose. I was fine.” She yawned and rubbed her eyes. “You?”

“Fine.” A small lie. “So, Sakura…” she said, walking away from the door so it would be harder for Benny to hear. “What should I do all day?”

“Hmm…I asked my mother that,” Sakura said, pulling out the kimono for the day. “She said the Nohrians would take care of everything so…we wait.”

“I see…” Sakura walked over with the kimono and waited for Mozu to disrobe and put it on. “Hey, Sakura?”

“Yes?” she asked, slipping it over her shoulders.

“Who pierced your ears?” Mozu asked, still staring at her own in the mirror. She could see a smile curl up on Sakura’s face as she tightened the kimono.

“Hana,” she said, her tone brighter. “She surprisingly liked a lot of girly things! She got along with Takumi’s retainer, Oboro, over fashion.” Mozu knew from the lightness in her voice that she had asked the right question. “Anyway, she did them a while ago. But you know…” She sighed, tightening the obi. “Though, I never liked the long flashy earrings. Th-they don’t suit me.” She stepped in front of Mozu and straightened the collar. “You though…”

“Wha? Me?” Mozu felt the heat rise to her cheeks.

“I think you would look so much better in a Nohrian dress…a really pretty one!” Sakura said, moving behind Mozu. She took her hair and brushed it with her fingers. “Also, you didn’t tell me about the earrings.”

“Oh, Sakura…” Mozu sighed. “They were the most gorgeous stones I ever seen in my life.” The image of her reflection on the amethyst facets burned into her memory. “Purple and silver...definitely not something a country gal like myself can wear,”

“They were purple?” she asked, trying to figure out an updo. “Hmm…purple definitely suits you better. It wouldn’t work with me.”

“But they were meant for you,” Mozu said as Sakura pulled her hair into a side-tail.

“Mmm…” She shook her head. “No, they were meant for you, I think…” she said, her voice going soft. Mozu blinked in surprise and looked over towards her.

“B-but…you’re the real princess. You’re going to be marrying him,”

“I-I know,” Sakura said, tying her hair. “But maybe…he’ll just realize they look bad on me and give them to you.” Mozu smiled, her cheeks still pink.

“E-even then…I wouldn’t wear em anywhere. They’re so fancy!”

“You can wear them at the wedding. I mean…you gotta be there.” Sakura turned Mozu around and held her hands. She looked into her eyes pleadingly like when she asked for this whole charade in the first place. “You have to. I…I can’t do it alone.”

Mozu squeezed her hands. “You won’t have to.” And she meant that. “I promise.”

Sakura’s face lit up and without much warning, she pulled Mozu into such a tight embrace that it made her go “oomph.” “Thank you!” she said, squeezing her tight.

“S-Sakura…” Two could play at this game. She returned the favor by wrapping her arms around her waist and holding her tightly. “Of course I will!” She lifted her up, not surprised that she was lighter than a feather, and spun her around. Sakura cried out in shock before laughing in excitement. If there was one thing Mozu enjoyed, it was making Sakura laugh. She was a generally happy princess, even in Hoshido, but her laugh could cheer anyone up. Especially now, she knew the both of them needed a giggle. Both of their voices melded into a chorus of laughter until Mozu finally set her down. Sakura exhaled, wobbling away a bit.

“Goodness!” she said, holding a hand to her head. “I forgot how strong you are,”

“Yeah well…” Mozu snorted. “Let’s just say that if your new retainers can’t protect you, then I can fight tooth and nail for you!”

Sakura’s expression from her eyes dropped a little but she kept her smile. She opened her mouth to say something, but there was a knock at the door. “I’ll get that.” She strolled to the door, humming a little as she answered the door. “Prince Xander!”

Mozu turned sharply to the door and sure enough, there he stood in the doorway. He cleared his throat before speaking. “Good morning, Miss Mozu. Is Lady Sakura with you?”

“I’m here,” she said, walking towards the doorway. She curtseyed once she stood before him. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” he said. Mozu saw his eyes widen, even for a second. If she didn’t know any better, she would have also said that she saw the faintest bit of rose colors on his cheeks. What gave it away was the quickest aside glance before focusing on her once more. “Is the morning treating the both of you well?”

“Oh yes,” Mozu said, turning to Sakura and then back at him. “Thank you for asking. What brings you here?”

“I-I was wondering…” He took a deep breath, chest puffed out. “If I could escort you around the castle. Show you your new home.”

“Oh…oh! That would be nice. Very nice.”

“Ahm…Princess,” quipped Sakura. “You haven’t had breakfast yet.”

“I-it’s okay. I’m not hungry yet,” Mozu said. “Maybe a little walk around the castle will give me an appetite.”

Xander smiled. “I’ll be sure to treat her once we finish.” He extended his elbow out, allowing Mozu to hook her arm around his. She smiled to Sakura as the real princess curtseyed in response. The door closed behind her and she gave Benny a little smile and wave. Xander led her down the hall as Mozu tightened her grip a little better. As she did, her eyes narrowed as her palm pressed against the fabric of the shirt. Without a doubt, his arm felt like steel underneath and just with the slight press of her palm, she could feel the curves of his biceps. The same biceps that ripped her dress. Her cheeks suddenly flushed with red. No, no, she thought. This is Sakura’s fiancée! _Sakura’s_!

“You look nice today…” That broke her out of her trance.

“Wh-what?” Oh, great going, she thought. Make him think you aint listening.

“Your hair looks nice…like that,”

“Oh…thank you,” she said. “I like your shirt…”

“Thank you. I uh…believe my sister had picked it out.” Right, his sister. He had two of them, right?

“Which one?”

“Camilla, of course,” he said. “She always had good taste to go with her elegance,”

“I can’t wait to meet her,” Mozu said. “And your other sister, Elise.”

He chuckled. “Oh yes. And Elise is excited to meet you,”

“Really?”

“Yes. You two are around the same age and she’s never really had anyone like that,” he said. “I think you two will get along. She’s energetic, but she’s very sweet.”

“I am sure she is.” She took a deep breath. “I…I didn’t have anyone either. Until I found my handmaiden,”

“Mozu?” he asked. To her, it was strange to talk about herself in this context.

“Yes! She and I became very close. I’d…” Mozu trailed off, remembering the day she met Sakura. She recalled how the princess gave her such a look of pity, but still offered her hand. She had said to come with her and hadn't left her side since. “I’d be so lonely without her.”

Xander stopped and turned his body a little to face her. “Our lives as royals are often lonely. Even siblings can’t really compare to the bond of friendship.” He let go of her and reached for her hands instead, squeezing them as gently as he did the first time. Mozu met his royal purple eyes again as he looked at her with such conviction. “I will try to make you feel at home as possible. And I promise that you can have Mozu by your side as long as you want.” He smiled. “You won’t have to be lonely anymore.”

And just like that, her throat closed. For a split second, she believed that he meant it for her and not Sakura. And that was the problem. She wasn’t Sakura. She would always be Mozu the country gal. He meant it for Sakura and now it didn’t feel right. Her eyes looked away and she swallowed thickly, almost wanting to pull away but Xander’s hands tightened.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Did I?...I didn’t mean to--,"

“No, no that’s not it! It’s…” She pressed her lips together, trying to figure out an excuse. “I was just…I’m just excited, is all.” She forced a grin. “Excited for this…this new chapter.” She met his eyes again, her smile turning genuine. Yes, she should be happy. If only Sakura was hearing this instead of her.

He brought her a little closer. “I am excited too…and even I must admit that I was nervous…”

“You? Nervous?” She laughed a little. “I was nervous!”

“I wouldn’t blame you for that at all.” His expression actually had some life in it for once. “Listen, I swear to you that Nohr will be a wonderful home for you as it is for me.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it one bit.”

“Which is why after you have rested for a while…I…” He shook his head. “My…father believes it is a good idea for me to escort you around Nohr.”

Mozu’s heart dropped but she kept her expression polite. “W-wow…that’s…that sounds wonderful, actually.”

“Yes. I mean, of course our retainers will have to come but…I would really like to spend some time with you.” His expression stiffened again, like he was bracing for a rejection. Still, Sakura would probably go on the journey. Wait. This might work. Mozu would recon around Nohr and tell Sakura what she learned while the princess stayed here safe and sound all along learning from Prince Leo. Her expression lit up immediately.

“Yes! I would like that!” Xander’s eyes widened as his lips parted. Now Mozu realized how eager she was for some alone time for the prince and immediately cast her head down. “I-I’m sorry, that was--,"

“No, no! I’m surprised but in a good way…A happy way,” he said with a small, nervous laugh.

“Good!” She hooked her arm around his. “Before that, though, I would like a tour around the castle. A-and some breakfast after!”

“Anything for you,” he said, returning the smile and leading her on the way. About a minute after, Mozu bit the inside of her cheek. Apart from agreeing to journey with him, she didn’t feel like her answers and speech sounded like Sakura. A lot of other things sounded like Sakura. She felt just fine talking to Benny or Charlotte that way but…somehow she dropped the filter.

She dropped the filter but Xander was still happy.

Sakura had said that the earrings were meant for her. Was she also meant to do this? To go with him? Now she wished she had a Diviner. If the world really set it up so the rebellion occurred in Cheve to bring Garon away? Or was Sakura herself supposed to take this journey? So many questions and so many answers. Still, the thoughts didn’t stress her. She was busy listening to Xander explain the castle’s history and even though she had no penchant for architecture, his voice soothed her.

And she was sure Sakura would be just as pleasant with her arm around his listening to the secrets of Krakenburg Castle.


	6. Of Ice and Men

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! Another swift update. This chapter is more Leo x Sakura with some of the politics mixed in. Once more, thank you sooooo much for all of the supports and comments. I might not reply to them all but I promise you I read them again and again. Enjoy!

**Of Ice and Men**

 

“I don’t know about you,” said Mozu, “but I am ready to eat.”

“Well, I did leave the kitchen and dining room for last,” Xander said. “Though, you have already seen the dining room.”

“Oh, I’d love to see your kitchen!” she said eagerly. He turned to her with an eyebrow raised. Right. Princesses don’t cook. “Y-you know, so I can see if it looks similar to the one back home.” He shrugged and led her down the hall.

“You spend a lot of time in the kitchen?”

“Yee…not really.” She swallowed thickly. “I mean, compared to royals, I guess I was there often. N-not as often as the cooks, of course.” She felt her forehead heat up. “It started because…because I wanted to know what I was eating. C-cooking is an art, ya know!”

“Oh, indeed,” he said. “I’m so disappointed you missed out on the fresh beef pastry from last night,” he said, his eyes drooping a little. “I’ve seen it made once and it astounded me.”

“Right?” she said with a small smile. “Cooking is so beautiful. A-and I’m sure next time I have beef pastry, I won’t be interrupted by a too-tight dress.”

“I will make sure to rip said dress again if it attempted to.” Mozu shot him a look of surprise that he promptly returned. Okay, so that actually was a weird thing to say. She bit her lip but smiled, trying to hold back her chuckle as Xander glanced away. “Ah…I apologize. Th-there’s a reason I don’t make jokes.”

“That was a joke?”

“Unfortunately.” He shook his head. “Anyway, here is the kitchen.” He twisted the knob on the door for her and allowed her to step into the kitchen. It was empty of any people and for that reason it looked so long and wide. She could see the herbs and garlic cloves hanging from the ceiling as well as the cabinets and pantries along the walls. Many hearths and ovens decorated the back wall and in the center were preparation tables and benches for the chefs to take breaks. Xander sighed as he looked around. “Oh, I apologize. I thought there would be someone here by now.”

“No, no,” she said, walking around. “I’ll make myself something.”

“You don’t have to, Sakura,” he said, crossing his arms. “I apologize for making you wait--,"

“No, trust me,” she said, pulling out a couple of pans. “I can make myself an amazing breakfast. Maybe with a little Hoshidan flair.” She stopped mid pace and turned to him quickly. “Please, sit! It won’t take long.” Xander closed his agape mouth and sat himself on the bench in defeat. Knowing he was watching, Mozu set the pans down and reached for the extra ribbon around her waist, whipping it out. She rolled her sleeves up and wrapped the ribbon around and behind her to tie up the long sleeves. Once she secured it, it was time to start. “Where do you keep your rice?” she asked, heading towards the pantries to get a head start.

“I believe we don’t carry rice,” Xander said. She stopped in her tracks and faced him. He gave her a look of pity. “My apologies. Perhaps we can arrange a trade in the future?”

“I see…” she said, putting her fist under her chin. She narrowed her eyebrows, trying to figure out what to do.

“Please, Sakura, you really don’t--,"

“Ap-bup!” she said, holding her finger up. “Doesn’t matter! I’ll whip something up good.” She turned her back to him before he could object again and made her way to the pantries.

Okay. Mozu knew. She knew that Sakura could not cook the way she could, much less improvise. Even though she was supposed to be trying as hard as possible to be like Sakura, there are some things you cannot take away from her. Her cooking prowess was one and she would not leave this kitchen without proving to Xander that this woman could cook and cook her heart out. Besides, she would still be around after he married Sakura and she would not mind one bit cooking for the two of them. Sakura, for one, would definitely miss some traditional Hoshidan meals that Nohrian chefs could not replicate.

But now, she had to make at least _something_ using whatever she could find. The first cabinet she opened contained a lot of grains. Flour, she recognized, and some other powders. That bread loaf in the middle would do, so she grabbed that. The next cabinet had eggs. Great! Everyone used eggs so she swiped that too and set them on the counter. What else, what else… Butter. Yes. Grab that.

She needed a good protein. Any kind of meat would do. The Nohrians had to have something similar in their meat storage-aha! She opened a cold box and found a nice cut of meat. She picked it up and took a whiff. Pork, definitely. Hm. Must be ham. Take that.

She set everything down on the counter and scanned the hearth used for heat based cooking, opening it up. The concept was similar; she merely had to set this wood on fire. She whirled her head around looking for the flint rocks to light a spark and thankfully, they were nearby. Once she took them in her hand, she herd Xander quip, “Ah, I can do that--," Mozu shut him down with only a dull smirk. He closed his mouth again and sat back on the bench, his hand covering his lips as he averted his gaze. She won that round. Mozu turned back to the hearth and clicked the rocks together until a spark flew off, igniting it.

She placed a cast iron pot on top and got to work. She cracked two eggs on the pot and let them fry, adding some seasoning, cutting the bread into small circles and slicing the ham. Finally, she whipped up a quick cream to go on top.

By the time she turned around with the plate in her hands, Xander had been leaning his arm against the table and resting his cheek on his palm. As soon as she made eye contact, his body jerked into a straight sitting position. “Hehe…” she said, walking over. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“No, no,” he said. “I was…actually quite impressed.”

“You were watching?” she asked, sitting next to him.

“A little. I was doing more smelling than watching.” He chuckled, looking down at her plate. “Hmm…is this plate common in Hoshido?”

“No, I kind of made it up,” she said. “Well, the sauce part...and you can eat it with your hands,” she said, lifting up the bread that carried the egg, ham, and sauce. “Alright, try it.”

“Really?” he asked. “I already ate--,"

“Please?” Xander pressed his lips into a thin line, trying to reason with her but Mozu was prepared. She put on the pleading puppy dog eyes and the moment she did, his own squinted. He was resisting, so she pushed the food a little closer, trying to make the scent make him give in. “Mmmm…fine…”

“Yes!” His hand brushed by hers briefly to intercept the sandwich (if you could call it that) and bring it closer to him. He lifted it up to his lips, took a deep breath, and took a bite. She watched him pull it away to rip off a bite and his eyes went from narrow to wide open. His expression brought a wide grin to her face and his head nodded with a soft “mm…” By now, she had noticed the sauce around his lips and mid chew, he pointed to his mouth as if asking if something were there. “Awe, let me get it.” She took the napkin before he could protest and dabbed his lips, wiping off the sauce.

As she wiped off the remaining sauce, Mozu saw Xander’s eyes narrow. She pulled away the napkin and found a frown on his lips as he set down the food. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his tone regrettable. “That was very unbecoming of a prince.”

“Wh-what?” she laughed out. Mozu pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh again.

His frown deepened. “Is that funny?”

“No! I mean a little but…” She studied the dreadful look on his face. Of course he wasn’t used to this. He’s a prince that eats food with dignity and certainly not food that does not require utensils. “You don’t have to be like that here. We’re alone.” He looked away from her and the food on the plate and Mozu scooted back an inch. Did she take it a little far? Of course she did. Sakura would never shove her cooking prowess into her fiancé’s face and force him to make a mess. “I’m sorry,” she said. Xander turned his head back to her. “It’s just…” She took a deep breath. “This is how peasants eat but they are just as happy eating like this and making fools of themselves as we are eating beef pastry with forks and knives in front of a fireplace.” She managed a smile from the corner of her mouth.

“We are not peasants, Sakura,”

“So?” She crossed her arms. “Peasants make up the backbone of our countries. They are the inventors and the ones who feed us.” She turned back to her food and lifted her piece of bread with stuff on top, holding it out in front of her. “Peasants taught me what I know. I…I personally don’t think it would hurt to be like them in some ways.” Her eyes glanced at the half bitten piece that Xander had left on the plate.

“Oh, n-no. I already had a sweet roll--,"

“A sweet roll is not breakfast. You need your protein.” Xander opened his mouth to object but he promptly closed it with a smile, turning to take his piece into his hands again.

“To us, I suppose,” he said, motioning to tip their pieces together.

Mozu laughed and tipped her piece against us. “To us!”

* * *

Nohrian peasant breakfast wasn’t as great as Mozu’s breakfasts. Or maybe Sakura just missed rice. Instead, they served porridge and bread. It wasn’t bad but Sakura wasn’t sure if she could eat it every single day. The maids seemed used to it, though. Or perhaps they simply ignored it while talking about the morning and about their lives. She swallowed her porridge down quickly; she had things to do.

First things first. Find Prince Leo. Second. Convince Prince Leo that she needed to learn about Nohr as much as possible for her mistress. That part should be easy enough. As she carried her dish to the sink, she stopped. Where exactly would she find him? She found him last time by coincidence and being lost. Well, these maids ought to know. A girl with long pale hair walked past her and Sakura seized the moment. “Excuse me!” she said to catch her attention. As the girl turned back around, Sakura spoke again. “Could you help me? I’m new and I need to find Prince Leo. Where do you think-“

“W-wait,” the girl said among giggles. “Why do you need to see Prince Leo?”

Sakura puffed her cheeks. “W-well. My mistress needs information from him. About Nohr.”

The girl scoffed. She rolled her eyes and leaned in. “Alright. He’s usually in his study. Or the library.” She told her where they were. “But, word of advice. If you’re trying to get an early head start on flocking to the royals like His Majesty’s concubines, just know that the prince doesn’t believe in that nonsense.” Sakura blinked in surprise, not knowing how to even make an offended look. The girl leaned back with a confident smirk. “You can try. Who knows,” she said with a shrug. “Maybe it was just that Nohrians weren’t exotic enough.” Sakura watched the maid giggle and trot off towards the others. Her shoulders dropped and her face was full of bewilderment as she set the dish down.

Concubines. That word filled her mind and nothing else. She imagined rows of beautiful ladies in all different colors lined up to be gawked at by the king. Or worse. Xander. Mikoto told her how the royal family of Nohr was all begot by concubines apart from Xander. Since he would be king, would he also be entitled to concubines?

Her steps grew slower and softer after she left the mess hall.

Maybe she was overthinking it. Mozu would never let her marry a prince that wanted a wife _and_ concubines. Surely Xander would never degrade their marriage and treaty with concubines. She wouldn’t allow it. _Mozu_ wouldn’t allow it. No way would Mozu stand for Sakura crying alone because her dumb king husband ran off to vacation with a _concubine_. Heck, no way Ryoma or Takumi would stand for that. Right! “Nothing to fear, nothing to fear,” she said making a turn. “Xander is respectable. He would never do that,”

“Never do what?”

Sakura yelped and shot her head from her shoes to looking in front of her and saw the dark-skinned thief leaning against the wall next to the door. His body jolted with a quick laugh as he crossed his arms. “You’re the handmaiden,” he said. “Mazu, right?”

“Mozu,”

“Right. So what would Xander never do?”

She pressed her lips together. “Have concubines…right?” she asked, walking closer. “I mean. I-if I saw that h-he had c-concubines while married to m…Milady, she would b-be so upset...”

“Hmm…” He stroked his chin with his finger and leaned his body to one side. “Almost all Nohrian kings have had concubines.” Her stomach dropped. “But mostly until after the queen dies.”

“Oh…” she said, her voice filled with disappointment.

“And you know, I don’t think His Majesty was much of a looker, but Xander?” He snorted. “The noble ladies would be all over him. Strong. Handsome. Plus I don’t think that big sword is actually compensating--,"

The thief was cut off by the loud slam of the door opening. Sakura flinched and saw Leo standing in the doorway with a face as if his study had been filled with skunks. “Can you stop talking about my brother that way?” he said. The thief shrugged as Leo turned his attention to Sakura. “My apologies, Mozu,” he said. “For your information, the treaty and marriage contract actually forbid Prince Xander from taking concubines for the entirety of the marriage.”

Sakura gasped, a smile lighting up on her face. “Really?” she asked. Great! She didn’t have to worry about that. Suddenly, her expression dropped. “But…is he okay with that? Did he want to…have them?”

Leo scoffed with a small smile. “I would assume he’s okay with it. He suggested it.”

“He did?”

“Yes, to show you Hoshidans that he's serious about this arrangement.” He stepped back. “Anyway, did you mean to come to my study or were you lost again?”

“Wha? I wasn’t lost!” Sakura said. “I actually came looking for you. I-if you…have…time.” She put her hands behind her back and rolled on the balls of her feet.

Leo nodded and stepped back, waving his hand. “Come on in.” Sakura’s shoulders lifted with excitement as she almost skipped towards him. She passed by the thief and gave him a polite nod and he returned with a wink and click of the tongue. As Leo closed the door, she thought about how odd a wink was while wearing an eyepatch. She snapped out of her train of thought to intake Leo’s study.

Meticulous was the word she would use to describe it. The papers on his desk were neatly stacked in small piles or in drawers around him. The candles were placed symmetrically around the room in the same corners or pockets around the study. What she liked the most was the small ledge under the single window; it looked perfect for gazing out.

Leo walked to his chair and sat himself down, gesturing to the one in front of his desk. “Please, sit.”

“Do you have many guests?”

“Not really. Usually it’s Xander or one of my retainers. Speaking of which, don’t listen to Niles. Half of what he says is nonsense.”

Sakura laughed. “But there has to be something about him that makes him a good retainer.”

“Oh yes,” Leo said with a smile. “You see, as the younger brother of the king, most of what I do for my country is through secrecy or back channels. Niles knows those channels like the back of his hand and his loyalty is worth his rather lewd comments.” He sat back. “Of course, if it bothers you, I’ll give him a long lecture. He hates it when I do that.”

“Oh, no. That won’t be necessary,” she said.

“If you’re sure…in that case, what can I do for you?”

“Uhm, well…” she said taking a deep breath and placing her hands on her lap. “You see. There is a lot about Nohr that neither my mistress nor I know about. So, while she is spending time with her fiancé, she wants me to research for the both of us.” She smiled brightly. “After all, she wants to be a good queen and help Nohr as if it were her home country.”

Leo stroked his chin. “So you came to me?”

“Yes…I hope that’s okay…I just thought you seemed very knowledgeable. I-I mean o-of course you are! Y-You’re the prince. B-but I understand i-if you don’t have the t-time to help a peasant--,"

“Slow down, Mozu,” he said, returning the smile. “I would be delighted.” His smile turned into a frown. “However. Nohr is not like Hoshido. It isn’t as beautiful with many natural wonders to impress you. It is rough and coarse and it needs bitter work to survive.” Sakura nodded slowly. “I can teach you about Nohr, but many of the things I tell you will seem dismal or harsh, but that is the nature of things here.”

“I see…” she said in a soft voice. She twiddled her thumbs. “C-could you give me an example?”

Leo sighed and took a stack of papers from his multiple piles and licked his finger to sort through them. “I can. I heard you and your mistress took a rather long time in the baths. At least, a time considered lengthy to Nohrians.”

“Yeah!” she said. “Charlotte---ah, her retainer, that is—thought that something h-had happened to us,”

“Did she explain to you our fresh water situation?”

“A little. Not extensively…b-but that is s-something we were very i-interested in!” She sat back in her seat but her posture was still stiff. “So?...”

“Mm.” Leo glanced down at the papers. “Nohr has no natural fresh water sources such as springs like Hoshido. Our main source of water is imported from the Ice Tribe.”

“The Ice Tribe? The entirety of Nohr relies on a tribe for water?”

He scoffed. “Indeed. The chief, Kilma, isn’t fond of Nohrians either. Hence why we reached out to Hoshido. Fresh water is one of the resources we desperately need and importation of it was specified in the marriage treaty.” Sakura slowly nodded. She felt almost idiotic that she had never read the treaty or the marriage contract herself. Perhaps that would be a good place to start.

“I see…” she said. “So, does that mean you still need the Ice Tribe?”

“Of course. We tied Kilma over with another marriage contract until an official treaty is drafted along with it.” He gestured to the stack of papers in his hand. “Which is what I am currently working on.”

“Wow…your father trusts you with the treaty?” She smiled. “You must be quite smart.”

Leo's lips smirked. “Heh. I’ll admit I have more brains than Xander but that doesn’t make him less of a great ruler.” He shrugged. “My father said I was better with words and enlisted my help in both marriage contracts and treaties,”

“I see.” She leaned forward, now curious on the issue. “And who is in the marriage contract with the Ice Tribe?”

Leo’s expression fell as he took a deep breath. “Me.”

Now it was Sakura’s turn to do the same. “Y…you?”

“Yes,” he sighed. “I am to marry Kilma’s eldest daughter, Flora.” He set the treaty down in the same position it was in earlier. “Though, I fear that if Kilma hears we are also importing fresh water from Hoshido, he might believe he has competition and will increase his demands.” Leo pressed two fingers against his temple.

Sakura tilted her head and bit her cheek. She recalled a similar situation with some farmers that Hinoka had to deal with once. And, if she was to be queen, she had to start thinking politically. “Well…” she said, her soft voice gradually growing to moderate volume, “what does he get in return from your current deal?”

“Protection. Like he needs it,” Leo said bitterly.

“I think he won’t ask to increase demand. He knows the tribe is much closer to Nohr than Hoshido, thus, he outranks Hoshido in terms of convenience.” Leo lifted an eyebrow and sat up in his chair. “And if he doesn’t need protection like he says, then you should offer him something he should need.”

“…Such as?”

“It’s the Ice Tribe, right? It probably means they cannot grow as much crop as you can.”

Leo groaned. “Nohr can barely grow crops, period. And the few crops that we do grow, we need to sustain our populace.”

“True…but you’ll be getting more from your treaty from Hoshido, correct? We always had surplus food so I’m sure there will be extra to give to the Ice Tribe.”

Leo licked his lips and peered into Sakura’s eyes for a second before opening a drawer and pulling out a blank sheet of paper. She watched him take a quill, dip it in some ink, and start writing. “It’s definitely worth considering. We would have to seriously micromanage the crop distribution,”

“Fresh water is more than worth it, though.”

“Indeed it is.” He looked back up to her. “That was quite knowledgeable of you, Mozu.”

“Ah, well…” She looked away, almost forgetting that she was supposed to be a handmaiden.

“Where did you learn all of that?” Oh no. It was the fork and knife all over again.

“W-well…I uhh w-was a farmer,” she said. “Mhmm. A farmer. A-and we a-always just h-had a lot of food. P-plus I spent a-a lot of t-time at the castle so…so you hear a lot o-ff things!”

“You’re quite attentive for a handmaiden.”

“D-Don’t I have to be? A-always waiting on my l-lady and all...p-paying attention is basically my job.”

“Hmph. I don’t think even Camilla or Elise had maids this dedicated.” He smiled softly. “I’d be happy to assist you, Mozu.”


	7. Doubts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone. Last filler chapter before the big journey where things will happen. I had a tough time writing a good chapter so forgive me if it's not as great as the others. It's the small slump before the good stuff, though, so I promise that! Once again, thanks for all of the support and kudos. I wouldn't have gotten this far without you!

**Doubts**

 

After breakfast, Mozu skipped back to her room since she assumed that running was improper for a princess. Across the hall, she could see Sakura running towards her too. She stepped up her pace before stopping in front of her.

Together, they said, “I have news! Uhh…you first.” Mozu shook her head and pointed to Sakura.

“You first.”

“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “Prince Leo agreed to tutor me on Nohr! Oh! And I’m helping him on the peace treaty with the Ice Tribe!”

“That’s great! W-wait.” She looked around, making sure the coast was clear before leaning in. “Sakura, are you sure that’s okay? I mean…he thinks you’re a handmaiden.”

“I know…” she said, whispering back. “I think he’s suspicious. Hinoka always said ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’ so…”

“Leo isn’t our enemy, Sakura,”

“I know…but I should be close to him if he’s the smarter one, anyway. Convince him I am…not Sakura.” She shook her head. “D-do you think Xander is suspicious?”

“What? No,” Mozu said, standing straight and returning to a normal voice. “Not at all. In fact…he invited me out!”

“Out?”

“To travel around Nohr.” Mozu grinned, clapping her hands together. “Isn’t that great?”

Sakura’s smile dropped. “What?” she asked. “Y-you’re going to travel around Nohr?”

“It’s better this way…isn’t it?” Mozu frowned. “You stay here, nice and protected, while Xander and I travel around! When I come back, we exchange notes and you’ll be the best queen Nohr ever saw! Besides, Nohr is really dangerous so it’s best if I go anyway!”

Sakura put a hand over her heart and bit her bottom lip. "So...you're happy about this because I'll be safe?"

"B-but...Nohr is dangerous. And, like I said, if anything were to happen to me,"

“Why do you keep doing that?”

“Doing what?”

Her voice raised. “Act like your life is less important than mine!” Sakura’s expression turned determinant and her eyes burned. “Even when you’re pretending to be me, you still think that! Why do you think that?”

Mozu felt a lump in her throat. She couldn’t escape Sakura’s eyes that peered into her very being, trying to find an answer. Even worse, she didn't have the greatest excuse in the world. She hugged herself and took a deep breath. “Because we both know I’m not you.” She narrowed her eyes. “Of course I don’t want anything to happen to me! But if anything happened at all, I’d want it to happen to me instead of you.” She dropped her arms to her side. “B-but I get what you’re saying. I should be extra careful and not do nothin’ rash or-“

Sakura leapt forward and wrapped her arms around Mozu so tight that the latter let out a soft grunt. “Right now, Mozu…” she said, placing her chin on her shoulder. “You’re the only one making me feel less lonely each day. S-so if you don’t care about yourself for you, at least do it for me! I-I don’t know w-what I’d do…if something happened to you…”

Her eyes grow hot and blurry, with tears pricking at her corners. She hugged Sakura back, just as tight. “A-alright…” she said, her voice weak. “We’ll take care of each other…for each other…”She smiled, pulling away softly. “I…I think we really need a better place to meet up, don’t you?”

Sakura pulled away too, rubbing her eyes and letting out a small laugh. “Oh, I agree.” She shook her head and fixed her hair. “W-well you got a tour, right? Maybe you know of someplace.” Mozu nodded and led her down the hall, trying to remember a good small spot.

How in the world did Mozu get into this. What was her life supposed to be?

For starters, her village would be up and lively. She was supposed to stay working on her parents’ farm until she could inherit it. She was supposed to meet a nice guy in her village or the next. She was supposed to stay in Hoshido and stay in the country. That’s where she belonged, didn’t she? Maybe it was thinking like that that made the gods angry enough to take it all away and give her _this_.

Whatever this was.

If she had to trace it back, it was all because of Sakura. Sakura brought her into the palace and accidentally swept her up into royal affairs. An arranged marriage. A peace treaty to prevent attacks like the ones on her village. She could remember the day Sakura, with tears, asked her to make the difficult move with her to Nohr. Mozu agreed in a heartbeat. It was no use for her to stay behind in Shirasagi anyway.

“So a trip around Nohr,” Sakura mused, breaking her train of thought. “Sounds nice…Sounds romantic.”

“Wh-what?” Mozu forced a short laugh. “R-romantic? Nooo…the retainers are coming anyway.”

“Yes…but it will be mostly you and him.”

“Sakura, he’s your fiancé,” Mozu said with a worried expression. “I’m being friendly, of course. But romantic?”

“W-well…it’s up to you. But if you wanna be romantic, then you can!”

“I still probably won’t be,” Mozu said with a snort. “But…good to know.”

Suddenly, Mozu heard fast footsteps approaching her from behind with a familiar voice crying, “Your highness!” She turned around to see Charlotte stopping from a run and put a hand on her chest. “I-I just heard from the other servants. We’re going on a trip?”

“O-oh, yes.” Gee, word travels fast around here. “I-is that okay for you?”

Charlotte blinked in surprise and forced a laugh. “Wha-at? O-of course it’s okay! I-I’ll go with you anywhere to protect you!” Mozu noticed she didn’t make eye contact during their conversation at all. Something wasn’t okay. She turned to Sakura who’s expression only confirmed it. “Y-your highness?”

“Charlotte,” she said. “Something is on your mind, I can tell.” She smiled softly. “You can tell me.”

Charlotte shook her head with another laugh. “What? Nooo…” Her expression slowly dropped. “I-if I tell you, I won’t lose my job, will I?”

Mozu blinked in surprise. “L-lose your job? W-why would you lose your job?”

She let out a large sigh that slumped her shoulders. “I-it’s…it’s my mom.” She cast her head down. “She’s ill…a-and the money is good and all but I still can’t afford to see her often.”

Nothing else had to be said. Mozu thought she could recognize the sadness in Charlotte’s usual kind eyes. How long had it been for her? A year? Maybe two? Already too soon. Mozu almost wished she was in Charlotte’s shoes; at least she had a mother to worry over. Her shoulders dropped and she looked towards the ceiling. She wasn’t sure why; perhaps she thought she would see Mom. No. Not this time. She had the power to do something different. She couldn’t save her own mother but maybe she could save Charlotte’s.

“Charlotte,” she said as the retainer lifted her head. “Take the week off before we leave.” A gasp of happiness washed over her face. “A-also I’ll give you some extra money so your mother can see a doctor-“ A sob interrupted her as Charlotte covered her mouth, trying to muffle her voice. She got on her knees and bowed.

“Th-thank you so much, your highness!” Mozu turned to Sakura who only smiled in support. “I-I promise I’ll be back! Thank you so much!”

“Y-you’re welcome. If my-“ She cleared her throat. “I just know I’d want the same for my own mother…” She felt Sakura squeeze her hand and rub her arm. Mozu only now noticed the lump in her throat. Charlotte picked herself off the ground, sniffling and wiping her face. She bowed once more before Mozu excused her and she ran off to do just that. Once she was gone, Mozu exhaled and leaned against the wall.

Sakura pat her shoulder. “You did the right thing. I would have done the same.”

“Oh good…” she said. “I can’t do that often, though, can I?” Sakura shrugged. “Ah well…at least Charlotte will get to see her mom. That’s all that matters…”

“She was already ready to fight tooth and nail for you, but now I think she’ll _really_ do it.” She took her arm. “C’mon, that place?”

“Oh, right! There’s an empty room right around here.” Mozu turned the corner and happened upon a simple door of lavender wood. She turned the knob and walked right in without knocking. “Xander said this is a simple sitting room. It doesn’t get much use…”

The room itself was small and cozy, but dark with its blood red wallpaper. Some noble portraits hung on the walls and the two windows had small ledges below them to sit on. Finally, two chaise long chairs stood opposite, facing each other. Mozu walked to the back to uncover the curtains blocking what little light Nohr had in the day. Sakura closed the door behind her and sat on one chair with a sigh. “Oh, this is quite comfy,” she said.

“Is it?” Mozu skipped to the other chair and lied on her stomach, spreading her limbs out. “Oh you’re right…”

Sakura spoke without moving an inch. “I’m going to miss you,” she said in her soft, timid voice.

“I’ll miss you too…” Mozu sat up. “I don’t think we’ll be gone long though.”

“I hope not,” she said, also sitting up. “You’re supposed to be back before the king returns, right?”

“Mhmm,”

“Good. I…” She took a deep breath. “I guess that means we’ll have to switch back after the journey.”

Wow, it had been a while since Mozu thought about switching back. What did she expect to do? Continue on until Sakura just went “never mind”? No, of course Sakura had to switch back to properly marry Xander. That was the plan.

She nodded slowly. “Y-yes, of course.”

“D-do you think they’ll be angry?” she asked, twiddling her thumbs.

“Uhh…” Of course they would be angry. At least, with her and certainly not with Sakura. Especially if they were going this long with this charade. Garon would probably throw her in the dungeon, but Xander… She wasn’t sure what Xander would do. Besides, it benefitted him anyway. Sakura was much prettier and she wouldn’t force Xander to eat food she made without utensils. “W-who knows,” Mozu finally answered.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you’re not punished at all, just like I promised.” She walked over and sat next to her. “And that will be that.”

That will be that. Hopefully, Mozu thought, it would be that easy.

* * *

 

Leo and Xander met for their daily lunch in a small study, only holding the company of their retainers. Though, lunch for them usually meant a simple bread snack and some water to tie them over until dinner. Peri hummed as she took their dishes and offered to take them to the kitchen. Laslow brought Xander the books he requested from the shelf and told Peri, “Try not to stab anybody on the way!” in a sarcastic, yet cheery tone.

Peri replied back in the same tone without the sarcasm, “I’ll try not to!”

As she left, Xander took the book in his hands and spoke to no one for five minutes, studying its contents as if they held the secrets of life. Leo noticed the brevity of Xander’s concentration when his frown tightened more and his free hand stroked his chin. Though, he knew not to pry. Xander would say what was on his mind soon. Perhaps in five…four…three…two…

“Hey, Leo?” Bingo.

“Yes?” he said, trying to hide his smirk.

Xander drawled out, “The Field of Night…would that be a good place?”

“Good place for?—oh.” Leo chuckled. “Thinking of destinations for your trip? I’d say so,”

Laslow spoke up. “The Field of Night? With all those black roses? Very good choice, Milord. It’s very romantic and I would bring all of my dates there if I could.”

Odin snorted. “If you could get dates.” Laslow shot Odin a glaring look which did nothing except make the mage snicker even more. Niles walked up, handing Leo a couple of papers.

“What’s the point of this trip anyway?” he asked.

Xander said, “Father suggested it to show Princess Sakura the pride of Nohr, as he’d probably call it.”

Niles smirked and turned towards the other retainers, saying in a hushed voice, “Oh yeah, he’ll show ‘er the ‘pride of Nohr’ if ya know what I mean.” Both Laslow and Odin put their palms over their mouth, snickering and trying to hold back tell-tale laughs.

Leo perked his head up with a sour glance. “What was that?” he questioned.

“Nothing.” Niles turned back to him with a smug grin and his hands behind his back. As Leo raised an eyebrow at him, Niles mouthed the words “you know you need me” and ended with a click of the tongue. The prince rolled his eyes, knowing what he said was true and that he should drop it. “Oh, but Prince Xander, if I may…” Xander turned to him. “I would also like to suggest the hot springs in a town not too far from here. I know Hoshidans like hot springs.”

“Ah, thank you. Can you show Laslow where it is on the map?”

“Certainly.”

Leo smiled, setting his pen down. “You’re eager to please, aren’t you?”

“You would be the same in my position.”

“I don’t know…” he cast his look askance. “Though, it’s good for you. You actually like her.”

Xander sighed, relaxing his usually tight face. “I think I do…she’s much more interesting than I thought. She made me breakfast this morning without knowing a recipe. She just picked up whatever was in our kitchen and made me the most delicious sandwich.” Leo had already heard the story, but he let him continue. He also noticed that the retainers had stopped organizing to listen. “Of course, I made a mess because she told me to eat it without utensils…and then she turned the whole situation into a lesson on respecting the peasants and paupers that so support our country…” He shook his head. “It was…quite admiring.”

Leo sat up in his chair. He knew it was the second time hearing the story, but he couldn’t help but feel something was off. He parted his lips to speak, but Laslow had cut him off. “Pardon me, but did I hear that right? Our future queen knows how to cook?”

Xander nodded with a proud smile. “Yes! She told me she spent a lot of time in the kitchen. I was quite surprised myself.”

“Well…” said Niles. “She does seem to spend a lot of time with her handmaiden, Mozu. Hey, Milord Leo, you’ve agreed to tutor Mozu, haven’t you?”

“Yes,” he said. “Surprisingly, she wants me to teach her all about Nohr so that she may educate her mistress.” He narrowed his eyes. “Also, _Mozu_ is the one who suggested sending the Ice Tribe surplus crop in our upcoming treaty.”

“How is that surprising?” Xander asked.

“I suppose it’s not…I just didn’t know that she knew the small details of the treaty.” He shrugged. “Perhaps Sakura had said something…”

“It seems,” Laslow said, leaning against the wall, “that they influence each other a lot.”

“It could be that,” Leo said. He looked among the men among him as a chilling thought crossed his mind. Sure, he had his doubts earlier but he blamed his unnecessary paranoia that was granted with being a master of tactics. There was a slight possibility…but no. Hoshido would never pull a stunt such as giving them a false princess. After all, Hoshido only wished for peace. No, this would not be a good thing to share, especially when Xander felt the way he did.

He would handle this the way he handled everything: discreetly. Thankfully, he had the man to do it. “So,” he said. “Cooking. Are there are talents Sakura possesses that we could know?”

“Oh yes,” Xander said. “I believe in the initial proposal letter, Queen Mikoto had mentioned she is an excellent archer.”

“Oh, perfect.” Leo smirked. Archery is a hard skill to fake.

Once everyone had left Leo’s study, he beckoned for Niles to stay behind. The thief closed the door and walked to his desk. “Yes, milord?”

“I have a job for you.”

“I figured,”

“I can count on your absolute discretion once more?”

“Always.” He smirked. “My favorite kind of jobs…”

“Good.” Leo folded his hands together and sat back. “I would like you to travel to the underground once again, seeking information.” He narrowed his eyes. “I would like you to find anything about Princess Sakura. Specifically, from any Hoshidans, if you can find them.”

“Certainly,” Niles said with a nod. “May I ask what for?”

“Let’s just say that if you find out anything that, we’ll say, _contradicts_ , you will let me know.” Niles’s eye widened for a brief moment before he let out a slow laugh. Clearly, he got the message.

“Always a privilege working for you, Milord Leo. This life is never dull. If I may ask…what happens if I do find something that, ahem, contradicts?”

Leo sat back in his chair and narrowed his eyes. “I’m sincerely hoping that you fail this task, Niles,”

He shrugged. “As do I,”

“But should you succeed...” He took a deep breath. “I suppose we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. Thankfully, with Father’s absence, you have a little bit of time.”

Niles bowed. “I promise not to waste a precious second.”

Leo had done it; he had shared his doubts. He really did wish that Niles found nothing of importance. It would be a shame if Xander came back from his journey parading around with a false Sakura. Second, he wasn’t sure how to even find the real Sakura. Still, though, he knew he should not judge books by their cover. Sure Sakura seemed too plain to be a real princess, but perhaps that is just what Hoshidans look like. The consequences would be dire.

Still, he was not certain, and Leo was not known to let uncertainties slide.

* * *

 

Niles knew that too. That’s why Leo was so eager to take him on as a retainer. The life wasn’t bad at all. He still got to do what he does best, but he made real money from it and got to live in a palace. Just as he would assist Leo with any task needing utmost discretion, Leo would bail Niles out of any situation. Not that he had need to; Niles was just that good.

He walked the castle halls, figuring out where would be the best spot to find Hoshidans. A lot of merchants passed through so he would probably have to ask the guild. Though, whether these Hoshidans new anything useful about Princess Sakura was an entirely different story. Shouldn’t be too hard. After all, it only took one whisper to ruin the life of a noble that was making diplomacy hell. He could start on looks or strange habits…

As he walked, he heard the faint giggling of voices. Oh, yes, he thought. Please be one of those maids with the hair problem. He had thought of the perfect backhanded compliment to her hair. Ah. It was just Princess Sakura and Mozu walking arm in arm. His lips turned into a smirk. He knew what he could do with this for now. “Afternoon, ladies.”

The two stopped in front of him with Mozu casting her look away. The freckled princess said to him, “Oh, how do you do.”

“I’m Niles. Leo’s retainer. I already know your handmaiden.”

The girl cleared her throat. “Y-yes, it’s good to see you, Niles.” He snorted; she didn’t meant that.

“Aaanyway,” he said, stretching his back. “Heard you’re going on a big trip, Milady. We heard you’re good with a bow?”

Sakura and Mozu turned to each other with smiles before Sakura turned back to him. “Oh, yes I am.”

“Good. Then you wouldn’t mind following me to target practice. After all, we would like to fashion a bow suitable for you.”

“That would be great.”

As the two girls followed him, Niles thought about how eager she was to show him. Perhaps she was a good archer…or maybe she would actually suck. Who knows. Mikoto did promise a good archer, so he’d be the perfect judge of that. He listened to their conversation too. Nothing interesting. Mozu only asked about Sakura's clothes for the upcoming journey. She suggested making a tunic suitable for traveling as to not sully the precious kimonos. Again, dull conversation. 

Once they reached the outside, Niles told them to stay put as he walked to a local shed. He brought a couple of sized bows and some targets to shoot. “Alright,” he said. “Thiiis one looks good.” Sakura nodded and took the bow from him, looking at it up and down as her handmaiden picked up the quiver of arrows. Before Niles could say anything, Sakura took an arrow from the quiver and loaded it onto the bow. From her form and posture, Niles could see that she had had some previous training. He hummed a little before going, “How well can you shoot?”

She pressed her lips together. “Hm. Toss that target.” Niles lifted an eyebrow, an excited smile on his face. He shrugged and did as she asked, tossing it like a Frisbee. One moment it was in the air and the next it was shattered to pieces with the arrow lodged in the center. Mozu cheered and clapped her hands as Niles’s smirk dropped with his jaw. “H-how was that?” asked Sakura.

Niles shook his head. “R-right…that one was easy.” He took another target and said, “try this one.” With all his might, Niles tossed it in the air with great speed. He turned to look at Sakura close her left eye and let a second arrow fly loose. Just like the last arrow, it crushed the target. He didn’t even bother to check if it was a bull’s eye or not. Once again, he heard Mozu cheer. The handmaiden ran up to the princess, hugging her as they both celebrated the victory.

The thief let out a small sigh with his hands on his hips. Note to self, he thought. This Sakura can shoot better than half of my old gang. They would have to try a little harder to see if she was not who she said she was. Only his future efforts would tell.


	8. The Flower Buds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know! Another speedy chapter. I planned out the next five cause let me tell you, it's a whirlwind of activity for the next five chapters. I'm writing faster than I thought so let's hope it keeps up. Not only is this chapter speedy, it's long. I've already started on the next one (9) as well so I keep ya'll on your toes. I'll have more notes at the bottom so read away. As always, thank you SO SO SOOO MUCH for 1000+ views and 100+ kudos. I really, really appreciate it! Let's make this rareship sail!

**The Flower Buds**

 

Throughout that day, Sakura had done nothing but cast her head down. She sighed all of the time, too, from making the bed, to organizing the closet, and now as she gathered stationary supplies. The voice of her tutor awoke her from her thoughts. “You miss her, don’t you?” Sakura felt the stationary almost slipping from her fingers before she jolted back, catching them. She saw Leo sitting in his chair before her. His hand had stopped writing and his expression looked questioning, as if he was waiting for her to answer. In truth, Sakura had taken a long time to say anything.

Finally, she gave up trying to hide anything and replied with a soft sigh. “You can tell, can’t you?”

“You’re distracted,” he said, turning his eyes back to the letter he was writing, his hand moving again. “She only left this morning.”

Sakura sighed, sitting down before him. “I know,” she said, straightening the ruffles in her common yukata. “I’m just not used to being without her.”

“I think it’s good for you,” Leo said, pulling a new sheet of paper towards him. “Since you’ll be separated, it will give you a chance to figure out who Mozu the person is as opposed to Mozu the handmaiden.” The problem with that sentence was that Sakura knew who Mozu the person was already and she was certainly not her. Mozu the person was a gifted archer, as she was reminded a couple of days earlier. She was also knowledgeable on agriculture and hunting, not to mention what an amazing cook she was. Sakura recalled a time when Mozu took her to the night markets stopped her from buying a vase at far too high of a price. Mozu got the price down by more than half and left the shopkeeper staring at the small bit of coin in his palms.

No way could Sakura compare. She supposed just being herself would do. After all, there was no need to prove she was Mozu since no one here knew what Mozu was really like anyway. Besides, she never fancied herself an amazing actress.

“I think so too,” she said, pushing the books in front of her away to grab a map. “A couple of days earlier, you were talking about the other cities around here, right?”

Leo smiled and set down his quill, stashing away the papers. “Yes, I was.” He pulled the map a little closer, his finger starting in the capital of Windmire. He circled around the area, saying, “So Nohr occupies most of the continent on this side of the Bottomless Canyon. Over here in the South, we have our neighboring country called Nestra.”

“So is it completely separate?” she asked.

“Not exactly.” He put his finger back over Nestra. “It is its own country with its own banners and militia, but is under the protection of Nohr. Nestra shares our economy, our borders, and most of our politics.” Sakura placed her cheeks on the palms of her hand. She actually liked listening to Leo lecture about Nohr. He was neither dull nor condescending, but rather, he spoke with actual admiration and respect to his empire’s history. “Let’s go back to major cities. Cheve, all the way over here, is where my father and sisters are right now.”

“Fighting the rebellion, right?” Leo nodded. “Why is Cheve rebelling?”

He slumped his shoulders and rubbed his temple. “The Chevois Knights hold most of the power in Cheve as most of their commanding officers comes from noble families. Those who protect are those who govern. My father has particularly been dealing with Cheve a little after Xander was learning to walk, as he said so. The combination of the rather childish tantrums they threw with my father’s strict policies eventually culminated in a rebellion.”

“How sad,” Sakura said, still not taking her eyes off him. “Does your father have any hope of regaining Cheve?”

“Fortunately.” Leo’s voice went from forlorn to prideful. “I was able to come in contact with Chevois Loyalists who wanted no part in the rebellion. Father is there right now flanking the rebellion with the Loyalists. Sure, he could have taken an army to crush the rebellion no problem, but he needed the respect and loyalty of Cheve to effectively govern it again. Once the battle is done, I figure that he would have to open negotiations with the Loyalists.”

Sakura tilted her head. “So why aren’t you there?”

Leo turned his eyes towards her, slightly perplexed. “Why would I be?”

“You’re obviously great at diplomacy.” She sat up, her hands on the map now. “If you weren’t looking out for the Loyalists, knowing they would help you restore Cheve, then the king wouldn’t have a chance at earning the respect of the remaining Chevois.” Realizing she could have said something out of line, she turned her head away. “I-I’m sorry…I suppose it’s none of my business.”

After a moment of hesitation, Leo finally shook his head with a firm, “No.” She turned back at him, curious of what he would say. “My duty is to Nohr and to my king, including my future king.” He smiled. “Xander is my brother and I stayed so I could meet his future wife.” His future wife, Sakura thought. That’s me. Er, right now, that is Mozu.

“If it means anything, I think you would have done great.”

Leo’s eyes broke contact, almost out of, dare say, embarrassment. “Ah. I don’t think you know me well enough to know that,”

“But I think I do.” Sakura leaned forward. “You know that you care about the people who govern as much as the people governed.” A soft smile crept on her lips. “You know it’s a harder challenge to please them and it would be so much easier to throw them under the carriage like so many before us—you, I mean.” She shook her head. “It’s like Queen Mikoto had once said: We cannot choose who comes into power, but we can choose how to rule.” As Sakura waited in bated breath, Leo stared at her with his eyes wide and jaw slacked. She could only hear the sound of her own breath as she pressed her lips together. Goodness, now she realized just how much she had blabbed. Now Leo thought her ill of mind, she suspected. Did she even mean everything she said? Of course she did. She slowly sunk back into her chair as she felt more and more uneasy. Her hands slid down her yukata again, gripping the hems.

Finally, Leo spoke in a soft tone. “Queen Mikoto told you that?”

“Yes,” she replied. She didn’t feel like making up a flimsy excuse. “She has influenced me a lot.”

“I see. She is definitely a ruler for the people.” Sakura nodded eagerly.

“Mhmm. She taught the retainers and handmaiden in the same way she taught her children.”

“If you’re this educated, then I suppose I have nothing to dislike when it comes to the princess.”

Sakura frowned. “What’s there not to like?”

Leo’s expression perked up as he laughed shortly. “I didn’t mean to offend. No, Princess Sakura is everything that I had wished for.” That sentence made her eyes wide and her heart race. He knew Leo wasn’t talking about her, meaning he was referring to Mozu.

“Wh-what makes you say that? What did you h-hope for?” Sakura knew her fretful expression was unbecoming and perhaps desperate, but she did have to know.

Leo replied, “She makes him happy.” And it hit her like a runaway Pegasus. How could she not have seen it? She recalled back a week ago when she found them after having almost suffocating Mozu. They had just met but she could see _something_ between them. She recalled something Mother had said to her before she departed for Nohr.

_She had been wiping tears off her cheeks and following the queen throughout the gardens, knowing it would have been her last time. Already a girl old enough for marriage and children, and yet, she cried out of fear, out of her future homesickness. Mikoto stopped and picked off a bud that had not yet sprouted and showed it to Sakura. “Love is like a flower, dear Sakura. Some grow fast and some grow slow, but they all start out like this.” She opened her palms, placing the bud in them and closing her hands. “A small bud may not look like much, but it matters because it will continue to grow and will eventually blossom.”_

Oh.

No, she thought. She was getting far too ahead of herself. It was as Mozu had been saying earlier; she was simply being friendly and nice. Who wouldn’t like her cooking or her general company? Oh gods, and she had even suggested romance earlier when talking about their trip. Mozu had denied anything of the sort. Of course she would! She’s not marrying him! She doesn’t want to!

“Mozu?” Leo’s expression carried concern and a bit of surprise. “Are you okay?”

“Hm?”

“Your…you look quite focused, but I don’t know what on.” Sakura felt her tight expression soften in favor of surprise.

“O-oh.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “S-sorry, I was just…” She couldn’t tell him what was on her mind at all. “Y-you don’t think Xander is…falling, already?”

“Falling?”

She swallowed back the lump in her throat. “Falling in love?”

Leo’s expression did not change at all until it shifted to one of discomfort. “What? Oh, no.” He shook his head. “Certainly not. N-not that romance couldn’t spark between them.” He sighed. “Xander does not fall so easily. He needs trust. Friendship. Respect. All of those things.”

Relief washed over Sakura as her rigid figure and heartbeat relaxed. True, Mikoto’s advice was for her on the subject of bonding with Xander, and she was right. Sakura had confidence that she could provide everything Leo asked for. Now that she knew Xander would be a good husband, she wouldn’t mind striving to be a good wife either. “Why?” Leo asked. “Do you think your lady is?”

“F-falling?” she asked. “Oh no! I am sure she needs everything you just said before any falling occurs. Though, they do seem to be on the same page.”

“That, I can agree with,” he said with a soft smile. “I can only hope that they continue being on the same page.” Leo turned his attention back to map. “Gone in less than a day and you still think of her.”

Sakura shrugged, crumpling the hem of her yukata in her fists. “What can I say? It’s…it’s hard.”

“I think I can kind of understand.” Leo took the map, folding it back. “I saved my retainer, Niles, from a similar fate.” That got her full attention and she perked up to listen. “His old thieving gang had left him to take the fall for a rather bang up job on robbing the palace.” He snorted. “Niles had nothing left and asked me to kill him. Others would have seen a good for nothing street rat, but I saw a great opportunity.”

Sakura frowned. "Sakura doesn't make me do her dirty work."

Leo laughed. “Neither do I make Niles. He enjoys it, though. Diplomacy and politics are not his forte.”

To that, Sakura had to admit. Besides, she could already tell how Niles felt about Leo. After all, if Mozu agreed to do this entire charade, then their bond had to be similar, no? “What about Odin?”

“Him? I picked him up after seeing what an excellent mage he is…save for the boisterous personality.” He picked up his quill pen. “He has a lot of hidden potential that I intend to extract.” Sakura thought that he sounded like an evil apothecary, using the retainers as test subjects. Or maybe Leo just meant well and wanted his retainers to do their best in what they did best. Yeah, she would go with that explanation. Maybe being with Leo was better for her than she thought; perhaps he could also help her find her hidden talents. Whatever those were.

She sat up in her seat and leaned forward, ready to continue. “Sakura told me that wherever Xander was taking her was a secret until they left. But I bet you know.”

Leo snorted. “Still thinking of her?”

“I-it could double as a geography lesson…” she said, her tone trailing off. She bit her lip, waiting for Leo to poke fun at her more, but he only pulled the map back out and laid it on the table.

“Very well,” he said as Sakura perked up, leaning closer. “Right now, they’re on their way to…”

* * *

 

“Fort Dragonfall?” Mozu asked Xander as the two sat opposite in the carriage. “We’re going to a fort?” Now she was greatly questioning the credibility of this trip.

Xander shook his head and rolled up the map. “Yes, but that is not the main attraction,” he said. “Nearby is a small hot spring resort. One of the few in Nohr, but I heard that Hoshido has many.”

Mozu nodded. “Yeah! Castle Shirasagi had its own hot spring in the castle,” she said, sitting back against the wall of the carriage. A hot spring would do her good, she thought. Then her face paled. Surely the prince didn’t expect to share the same springs with her. Maybe if they wore towels she could bear it.

What if Xander wanted more—oh tarnation, of course he didn’t! Shame on you! She felt her cheeks to her ears brighten an angry color. He must have taken notice. “S-Sakura?” he asked. “Are you okay? I-is the hot spring?...”

“Ah!” she said suddenly and loudly. “No, no it’s fine! It’s just been a while. I think I’m heating up just waiting to take a nice, refreshing dip!” Nice save.

Xander nodded contently and stretched out for what Mozu thought was the fifteenth time this day. She tilted her head wondering if she had stretched that many times today. She also noticed him look around the walls of the carriage with his usual frown. “Hm,” she started with a soft hum. “You’re cramped aren’t you?”

“Cramped?”

“In the carriage?” She shrugged. “You’re not used to this, are you?”

The prince shook his head and exhaled a large sigh. He rested his elbows on his shoulders. “No, not at all. Is it that obvious?” Mozu replied with a soft giggle. “I’m much used to riding my own horse.”

“Ohh that’s right. I heard all of the Nohrian royals ride into battle.”

“You’ve heard right. We’re all quite attached to our mounts. Can you ride?”

“Ah…” Mozu bit the inside of her cheek. “I regret to say I never got the chance to do so. B-but it looks like fun!”

“I see,” he said sitting up. “Perhaps when we stop, we can try.”

“Oh, is your mount here?”

“Yes, of course.” He smiled softly. “I hope she likes you.”

“Her?”

“Yes, her name is Algol.” He turned his head towards the window. “She is named after the Star of Demon’s Eye. Our astronomers noted that the star’s brightness changes often. She is a rather feisty horse and has well earned her name.”

“Algol…how unique!” Mozu said. Though now she wondered if Xander’s horse was the jealous type. Could horses even be jealous? “How long have you been riding?”

“Very young. Eight, I believe,” he said with a smile. “All royals learn how to ride, so I suppose it is also required that you learn.”

She shrugged. “It’s okay. I’m quite excited really!” she said. “W-why don’t we stop now?”

“Really?”

“Yeah!”

Xander cleared his throat and knocked on the carriage door. The horses halted to a stop and not a moment later did the two find the door opened. Standing before them was Laslow. “Milord,” he said with a quick bow. “What is the trouble?”

“It seems the lady fancies a small ride,” Xander said, climbing out of the carriage and holding his hand out for her. “Is that okay?”

“O-of course,” Laslow said. He turned to Peri who had been stringing along a beautiful black horse behind her own and gestured for her to come forward. As Xander helped Mozu down, he took the reins and everyone else had stepped back. “Milord,” Laslow quipped. “We’re good on our schedule, and we should reach the Fort in an hour or two.”

“Perfect timing,” he said. “Sakura?” Mozu turned back to him, one hand on the reins and one extended out to her. She gladly took his hand and let him lead her and the horse towards the front of the line. Once stopped, he let go of her hand to pet the mane of the horse. “This is Algol, bred to speed and strength.”

“Strong like you, hm?” she teased.

“Perhaps. Though, I have to warn you, Algol is temperamental.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means she doesn’t like other people riding her.” Mozu lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t worry. If you’re with me, she’ll behave.”

Mozu bit her lip, staring at the tall horse before her. She knew from farm hand experience that animals, no matter what, could have their preferences just as strong as people. If the hog wasn’t gonna be handled by no one else, then it wasn’t gonna be handled. Then again, this is a war horse. War horses were highly trained, so she heard. Xander didn’t seem like the type of person to let his horse boss over him. Good thing she had made herself (and credited Sakura) this comfortable traveling tunic.

She took a step forward and reached her hand out towards Algol. The horse shook her head, as if trying to deflect her hand. Xander lightly tugged on the reins. “Come now,” he said sternly. “Go on. Try again.” Mozu smiled and did as he asked, this time meeting no resistance.

“There there…” she said, petting the mane. “She’s beautiful.”

“Would you like to get on?” he asked. Mozu turned toward him and nodded. She reached and put her hands on the saddle before putting her foot in the stirrups. Now the hard part. She tried hoisting herself but she couldn’t get the hang of it. “Allow me.” Her breath left her lungs when she felt his tight grip around her waist. She didn’t let out a puff of air until her leg swung over the saddle and she was situated on the horse. She let out a small squeak when she felt herself teetering two one side, but his grip stayed tight. “I got you,” he said, pressing on her back.

“W-wow,” she gasped. “It’s so tall from up here…”

“Keep your back straight,” he said. “And point your toes up in the stirrups. You’re going to hang on the most with your core and your thighs, so tighten those up as well.” Mozu did as he asked and pushed her strength towards her lower body. It made sense to her. Suddenly, though, Algol started trotting in place and Mozu learned firsthand the odd center of balance and why your thighs had to hang on. Algol shook her head too and Xander’s voice grew strict. “Hey, hey!” he said, tugging on the reins. Unfortunately for Mozu, that only agitated Algol more.

Algol tugged her head away and with a loud neigh, reared up on her hind legs until Mozu could see the sky. She heard the retainers shout “Princess!” but all she focused on was clinging on with every muscle in her being. The horse broke into a gallop and Mozu let out a scream as she wrapped her arms around the horse’s neck. Her thighs burned as she tried her best to hold on. She heard Xander call for Peri but that was it and she was off. Any second, her legs to tire out and she would be left either hanging from her arms or eating the dirt.

She clung on for dear life but she knew she needed those reins. She summoned some strength to open her eyes and try to feel for the leather straps flapping about in the air. No, she couldn’t. She couldn’t bring herself to move her hand away and she went back to shutting her eyes. Suddenly, she heard a loud shout over the mad clapping of horse steps. “Sakura!” Using all of her strength, she turned her head and opened her eyes to see the purple and white figures of Xander and Peri on another galloping horse. Xander outstretched his hand. “Peri! Closer!”

“You got it!” She watched Xander outstretch both of his arms and brush by her hands as they grasped the reins. In a blur of motion, Mozu witnessed Xander leap his body from one horse to the next as he pressed directly against her back. Mozu let out an unflattering yelp as one arm wrapped around her and pressed her back against his chest. The other tugged on the reins hard enough to force Algol to rear up again with a neigh. Except this time, she halted to a stop and so did Mozu’s heart. Her entire body felt rigid as her breaths grew hasty.

“Gods,” Xander said, his arm not letting her go. “Gods, Sakura, I’m deeply, deeply sorry. A-are you hurt? Are you okay?”

Once her brain stopped rattling in her skull, Mozu took a deep breath and leaned her body weight against him, looking up. His eyes were filled with fret and worry as his barely parted lips breathed just as hasty. She put a hand on the arm resting around her, finding it reassuring and warm. Sure she had just been on a wild horse that barely had been tamed, but time just stood still. She could hear Xander’s heartbeat, once frantic, but now slowing to a calmer pace. She wasn’t sure if she felt fatigue or comfort. Maybe a little of both.

Her body jolted with a chuckle that turned into a melody of laughter. “Oh, oh gosh!” she finally said. “That…that was fun!”

“Fun?” he asked, now confused.

“Yes! Oh, don’t get me wrong, I was terrified! But it was so exciting!” She reached forward, petting Algol’s mane. This time, the horse actually leaned into it. “I’m sorry, Algol. I hope I didn’t scratch you.”

“Scratch?” said Xander. “Oh, don’t worry. This girl’s survived worse." He leaned forward to pet her too. "Sakura, I have to say how impressed I am.”

Mozu sat up and looked back. “Huh? From what?”

She whipped her head around when she heard Peri’s cheerful laugh as she trotted next to them. “Ohhh my! I’ve never seen anyone hang on to Algol for that long! She haaates being ridden by people who are not Xander.” Mozu blinked in surprise and turned back to him.

“What? But I wasn’t on her for very long,”

“Yes, but not even _Camilla_ could hang on for more than two seconds and she rides a wyvern.” Mozu’s jaw dropped at the image of Camilla, a princess she has heard nothing less than savage, being tossed off by this ornery horse. And this woman rode dragons. Now that they mentioned it, her thighs felt like rigid steel around the horse’s sides.

Peri tugged on the reins of her horse to turn it around. “You two go. I’ll head back to tell everyone you’re fine. Hiya!” She kicked the horse’s sides and off she was.

Once Peri was out of earshot, Xander exhaled deeply. “Would you like to continue or shall I put you down? I understand if you don’t wish to ride anymore. I’m sorry that your first experience was less than pleasant.”

Mozu shrugged. “It’s alright,” she said with sincerity. “Now that the scary part’s over, what’s there to be afraid of?” She repositioned herself before looking back to him. “I’m ready to go.” With a pleasant smile, Xander nodded and kicked the horse’s sides to start her into a soft trot.

About an hour and a half later, the traveling party stopped along the side of a small mountain pass with a short, elderly woman waiting for them. As Xander descended and help Mozu down as well, she curtseyed, the wrinkles in her face curving along her smile. “Welcome, welcome,” she said. “Prince Xander, we have eagerly awaited your return.”

“Thank you, Misses Bleve. I, myself, have been awaiting my next visit as well.”

She stepped forward and peered her eyes at Mozu. “Ahh…am I in the right in guessing that this is the Hoshidan Princess?”

Mozu nodded. “Mhm. That is me! Uh. Princess Sakura.” She curtseyed too. “N-nice to meet you. Ah, do you own the hot springs?”

“Indeed I do.” She reached forward and took Mozu’s hand, patting the top. “Just call me Misses Bleve. Come, come!” she said, letting go and walking up the mountain trail. “I know all of you are weary from travel. Dinner is almost ready, so feel free to relax in the springs beforehand.” As Mozu followed the woman up the trail, the scent of mixed minerals and sulfur hit her senses. It wasn’t exactly like the springs back home, but it brought back some memories. At the top of the small mountain, there stood a large, dark house with a bridge crossing over a small river of water. The architecture had columns and arches, much like the old Nohrian illustrations Sakura had once shown her. “Lucky for you,” she continued, “we’re empty tonight. Oh, your highness, I do wish you could have sent word ahead of time. We would have decorated and made your favorite foods!”

Xander chuckled. “Nonsense. I would not want to impose. Though, an empty house does sound nice.”

Mozu heard Laslow chuckle behind her. “Ah, if only Niles were here,” he said to the other retainers. Oddly enough, Peri giggled so Mozu supposed it was an inside joke.

Before they entered, Mrs. Bleve turned around. “Boys, if you could bring your horses and carriage to the back stables that would be great. I will be back here to show you to your rooms. Ladies!” she said with conviction, “This way!” Peri left her mount with the men and joined with Mozu and Charlotte. Once inside, Mrs. Bleve clapped her hands. “So, Lady Sakura,”

“Hm?” she asked.

“When is the wedding day? I bet all of Nohr will be there.”

Mozu’s cheeks flushed. “Ah…well…we’re waiting for King Garon to return from Cheve. Th-then I don’t know.”

Mrs. Bleve laughed. “I see. Lucky you then. Ladies?” she asked, referring to Peri and Charlotte. “You think he’s handsome, don’t you?”

Together, they replied, but different answers. Peri said, “I think he’s aright” in a dull tone and Charlotte replied enthusiastically, “Oh, of course!” At the ends of their sentences, the two exchanged glances that made Mozu and Mrs. Bleve laugh.

“Okay, ladies,” she said, stopping in the hallway before a pair of doors. She pulled out a ring of keys from the pocket of her apron and unlocked both doors. “The Princess is in here. Bodyguards in here.” She turned towards the retainers. “Will you two be fine here?”

Charlotte spoke before Peri could even start. “Oh, we’ll be great!” she said. “C’mon. I’ll help you out with your act too.”

“Act?” Peri asked, following Charlotte to their room. “What are you talking about?”

Mrs. Bleve cleared her throat. “The springs are at a nice temperature right now. I suggest taking your towels and robes right now.”

“Thank you,” said Mozu as she entered her room. Perhaps she would do just that. She closed the door to undress out of her tunic, cloak, and boots, folding them neatly on her rather large bed. The open closet had white towels on its shelves and a single dark bath robe. She went to the mirror and tied her hair up in a high, single bun to not get it wet. As she slipped on the robe and slippers, she grabbed a towel and walked out into the hall.

To her right, she heard the dragging of trunks and grunts of labor and turned to see Laslow and Benny tugging along trunks and bags. As Laslow made eye contact with Mozu, he flashed a quick smile. “H-here you are, Milady,” he said, dropping the load from his back onto the floor.

Benny kept walking to the other door, muttering, “Why do girls pack so much.” At that moment, the door swung open with a growl.

“Benny!” cried Charlotte. “Girls have more need than boys.” As she walked out to take her own bags, Mozu noticed she was also wearing a robe with her hair up. Peri popped out as well in similar fashion.

“Thanks, Laslow!” she said, dragging her trunk inside. “You can go now.”

Laslow rolled his eyes before turning back towards Mozu’s things. “Allow me.”

“No, no, I got it!” she said walking over to the trunk and lifting it with ease. She walked in, dragged it into a corner, and came back for her bags. Laslow, in the meantime, wore an expression of shock on his face as Mozu carried both bags on her shoulders. “Thanks for bringing it, Laslow. Are you going into the springs too?”

“Huh…wh-oh, yes, yes!” he said, shaking his head. “I would say see you there, but…separate baths. And all.” Mozu laughed with a nod as she waved to him. Laslow shuffled into his exit and Mozu waited before walking back into the hall and closing the door behind her. She figured she would wait for Peri and Charlotte since they were on their way too. With their door open, she could clearly hear their conversation.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Peri. “I just like to stab people! Don’t you?”

“Wha? Nooo,” Charlotte said. “I’m much too delicate to hurt anyone!”

“Haha! That’s funny!” she said as the pair walked out of the room. “You’re kind of weird, Charlotte!”

Charlotte scoffed and crossed her arms. “Wha? So you are! Stabby McStabbers!”

“Hey, I like that! ‘I’m Stabby McStabbers and I’m feeling stabby’! It’s my favorite word all wrapped into one. Oh, hello, Milday,” she said to Mozu. “Are you ready to take a dip?”

Mozu forced a small laugh of enthusiasm. “Oh, yeah!” she said. “Just as long as no stabbing occurs!”

Peri giggled. “I would never stab you, Milady. Your enemies, on the other hand…”

Charlotte scoffed again and this time, ended with a pout. “Hey! She’s my mistress! If there’s going to be any killing of the future queen’s enemies, it’s me!” Mozu shook her head as she followed them down the hall. She wondered if Sakura would be fine in their hands.

“Xander’s future wife’s enemies are my enemies, you forget. Besides, you told me earlier that you’re too delicate to kill anyone.”

Mozu listened to the banter all the way to the small room before the baths where they would leave their robes and sandals. As she slipped her robe off and listened, she figured that in a strange way, they seemed like they would be good friends. Both had that weirdness about them. As they disrobed as well, Mozu’s eyes widened at their defined muscles and various scars, but she had to figure as much. They were retainers; they had to be strong and battle weary.

“Nevermind!” growled Charlotte. “Princess, are you ready?” she asked as the two turned towards her. Together, their eyes widened and jaws dropped. Instantly, Mozu looked down at her person and wondered if anything was out of place. Maybe it was the freckles along her arm or how her skin was less fair than the real Sakura’s. She bit her lip, waiting for a response until Peri giggled again and reached for her arm.

“Wow…” she said, taking Mozu’s bicep. The Hoshidan was too afraid to do anything other than fake a small laugh. “They must train you really hard in Hoshido if you look like this,” she said, now squeezing the muscle.

“Ahaha, oh yes!” Mozu said. “Y-you should see m-my sister, Hinoka.” Peri let go and turned on her heel.

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” she said, skipping out of the door.

“Ugh!” Charlotte growled. “You forgot your-! Ugh, whatever,” she said taking the towels. “Ready, Milady?”

Mozu nodded and followed Charlotte out the door. Once through, she was met with tall columns around her and a walls of complex, detailed murals of old battlefields and gods watching over them. The hot spring was one neat rectangle, unlike the pockets of watery shapes in Hoshido. The most beautiful thing, however, was the fact that there was no ceiling at all and she could see the orange and pink sky, slowly waning towards the night. She didn’t hesitate to follow Peri into the prickling hot water of the spring, letting her body feel all fuzzy as she submerged herself up to her shoulders. She let out a long, relaxed sigh as her body rested against the wall of the spring. “Wow…this is so nice.” The stiffness of her sore thighs slowly started to ebb away.

“I know…” Peri replied in an unusually mellow voice.

“This is the best…” Charlotte said. “And we can stay here for as long as we want.”

Peri let out another giggle. “It’s so great that Leo’s retainers aren’t here.”

Mozu laughed at that. “What? Niles and Odin?”

Without opening her eyes, Peri let out a disgusted groan. “Last time we came with Leo, you could hear them making a ruckus all the way from over here. They were shouting and Odin was using magic in the pool.” Mozu snorted into laughs, imagining that image of listening to those two. “Something about creating a Maelstorm or whatever.”

“Ugh,” Charlotte said. “Boys are such idiots sometimes. Well, sometimes, they’re just annoying idiots. Like Benny, see, he’s not all that bright but he’d honestly never hurt a fly.”

“Wh-whaaat?” Peri said, scooting closer to them. “But he’s so big and scary!” Charlotte shrugged in response. “Laslow’s in the middle, I guess. He’s not dumb, but not all smart. He’s only annoying when he tries to hit on girls.”

“You know what it is?” piped Mozu. The two retainers turned to her. “I think it’s a herd mentality. So, in Hoshido, the boars and cows will act like every other boar and cow. If one was restless, they’d all be restless. I bet the only reason the men are calm now is because Xander is there.”

Charlotte tossed her head back with a rich laugh. “Oh gods, that makes sense!”

“Yeah!,” Peri said, her fist hitting the water with a splash. “Last time, Lady Camilla was here too so her retainer, Selena, just kept shouting at Odin and Laslow.” She groaned. “And then that riled up Lady Elise…”

Mozu snorted. “Gosh, I kind of wish I was there. Sounds like a lot of crazy fun!”

Peri laughed. “Ah yeah…it was pretty fun for a memory that doesn’t involve anyone being killed.” She turned towards Mozu. “Lord Xander likes this place a lot. I think he’d want to take you here often.”

Mozu nodded eagerly, knowing Sakura would absolutely love the hot springs as well. “I’d like that! It reminds me of home.”

Now Peri scooted even closer. “You’ll be good to him, riiight?”

Mozu snorted. What kind of a question was that? Sakura would be the best wife ever. “O-of course. I really, really like him and-“

“Good, that’s all I need to know,” she said with another unsettling giggle as she scooted back to her spot and lied back. “I just don’t want his heart broken a second time.”

And that’s when the shoe dropped, along with Mozu’s stomach and overall body temperature. With her body rigid and her face like stone, only her lips barely moved. “What was that?” She turned her head briefly towards Charlotte, whose face matched her own shock.

“I thought I should tell you,” Peri said, her tone indifferent towards the sensitivity of the information. “Don’t worry, though. It wasn’t completely serious.”

“Wh-what was? That Xander was…he had…”

Peri groaned, leaning against the wall again. “It was a while ago, like years. I offered to kill her so he wouldn’t have to feel anything, but he said no.”

Charlotte finally spoke, her voice making a cooing sound. “Awe, it sounds so tragic! Did you know who it was?”

“Oh yeah! But I won’t tell. The details are between them, don’t ya think?”

Charlotte’s face drooped like a puppy’s. “Awe…I guess you’re right.” She scooted closer to Mozu, putting her hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, though! If it was a long time ago, then I’m sure you’ve got nothing to worry about!”

Yes. Nothing to worry about. Oh, how Mozu hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I went horseback riding a couple of weeks ago for the first time and my thighs were sore for like ever. It's some hard shit. You see those cavalier animations? Yeah. Thunder thighs; I don't tell jokes. By the way, the actual Algol star is a really awesome star in the Perseus constellation. Look it up! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As always, even if I don't reply to comments, I read them over and over because I love you guys ;w;


	9. Lights of Cyrkensia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO. I apologize for the 14-page long chapter. Or maybe not. Maybe you guys like it who knows! I did say these next few chapters would be crazy. As always, thank you all SO SO SO much for the kudos, comments, and love. Enjoy what the story has to offer this time!

**Lights of Cyrkensia**

 

Mozu stared at the darkness of the ceiling for half of the night. Dinner had, thankfully, been uneventful with the retainers there as buffers. She made eye contact with Xander many times but all they exchanged were smiles and one final good night. Should she really be surprised that Xander had been in love once? Maybe it was strange to her, someone who had yet to find any sort of feelings in anyone. She guessed Peri had told her as a warning.

Why should she worry? She wouldn’t break his heart at all because she wasn’t betrothed to him. And Sakura was too honorable and too dutiful to stray from him. Besides, she figured that the two could eventually love each other like any other couple; they were indeed capable of it. Right. So she had nothing to worry about.

Except maybe who this girl was. If it was a girl. Goodness, no it had to be.

Perhaps for Sakura’s sake, she should find out. Yeah, she would. Only if he asked, though. Then that would be needless prying. Okay, problem solved.

The next morning, it was evident in the sluggishness and weight in her body that she didn’t get as much sleep as she had wished. She was awakened by the shuffling of trunks and bags in the other room as well as the continuing banter about acts between Peri and Charlotte. Guess that was the cue to awaken. Mozu took her time, yawning in between, to make her bed, pack her nightgown, and slip on her traveling tunic. As she sat on the edge of the bed and slipped on her boots, there was a knock on her door. “Come in,” she replied as she tied the laces.

“It’s me,” said Charlotte as she walked in. “Allow me to take your things, Milady.” At this point, Mozu was too tired to be polite and protest. As Charlotte dragged her things off, Mozu had finished lacing up her boots and tied her hair up on the way towards the front entrance. Everyone was waiting there and packing their things onto the carriage. Xander was the first to notice her and speak when she approached everyone.

“Good morning,” he said. “Did you sleep well?”

“Oh, yeah, I did,” she said, lying through her smile. “Did you?”

“After a hot bath and dinner, like a babe.” A corner of his lips curled into a smile as he held his hand out. “We’re not too far from Fort Dragonfall. Do you think you’d like to ride with me and Algol again?”

“Sure,” she said. “We’re still going to the fort? What’s there?” she asked, taking his hand. Xander just kept smiling as he hoisted her onto Algol before promptly placing himself behind her. As his chest pressed against her back again, Mozu just realized how close they were. Perhaps all the excitement from before prevented her from seeing it.

“That,” he continued, “is a surprise.” He turned the horse to face the entrance where Mrs. Bleve stood, waving towards them.

“Be safe on your trip, please!” she said. “And write ahead next time! We love having you!”

“Thank you once again, Mrs. Bleve. Take care!” Xander called back before trotting Algol around to the front of the line. “Let’s go,” he told everyone else.

As Algol slowly increased in speed, she felt like she was getting the hang of riding a little more. Xander put her hands on the reins and explained to her how to steer and stop the horse, but she still let him control Algol; she figured the horse would prefer no one else. About an hour in, he asked her on her general opinion of riding.

“It’s fun,” she said. “Makes me feel tall and important…like a…like a…”

“A queen?” he finished. Mozu pressed her lips together to muffle the nervous laugh coming from her throat. Well. Yes. But how could she say that when she wasn’t even a princess? Besides, Mozu knew she couldn’t run a country like a queen could. That’s why she was born a peasant.

“Ah…well…” she finally said. “I suppose so.”

“Mm. So how do you feel about it in the technical sense? If we went very fast—hypothetically--, could you handle it?”

“Hmm…very fast? Well, if I survived the trashing that was your horse, I think I can handle it.” Of course she could handle it. If royals only had to worry about hanging onto their mount, then they couldn’t survive bear and boar hunting at all. Goodness, now that she thought about, good thing Sakura wasn’t here. Sure the princess could ride a Pegasus but Pegasi are naturally calm and graceful. Poor thing might have been tossed off in less than a second with ornery Algol. “Why?”

Xander pointed ahead to the large dark shape ahead. “Because we are here.” His hands returned to the reins. “Would you like to make a gallop for it?”

Mozu shrugged. “Sure! You said there’s a surprise, right? Best not to keep it waiting.” Xander nodded quickly and raised his hand, giving a signal.

“Hold on.” Mozu steeled her thighs and core once more in preparation as Xander kicked Algol’s sides with a “Hiyaa!” Algol broke into a fast gallop enough to make Mozu jump for a second. She was able to reposition and hang on better. This time, with the wind in her face and the protective Xander behind her, it felt amazing. Within a couple of short minutes, they were right in front of the Fort, halting to a stop.

The fort had an interesting design in its length. The entrance looked like the head of a dragon with stone eyes at the top and teeth along the floor. Towers were situated around the fort, standing tall. To her, it looked like it could be a mini castle. After Xander helped her down from the horse, he took a moment to pet Algol’s mane slowly. “I’ll miss you,” he said.

Mozu blinked in surprise. “Huh? We’re leaving Algol behind?”

“Leaving the horses and carriage, yes,” he said, gesturing for her to follow him inside.

“So…we’re walking?”

“Oh no…” Xander said with the faintest hint of a grin on his lips. “Even better.”

Mozu wondered what that would be and she figured that it was the surprise. As they drew closer and closer to their destination, she could hear the sounds of large wings beating against the air and of low, growl-like trills. Her jaw dropped with a gasp as they entered a stable packed with wyverns. None of them had a separate pens and instead, were being held down by a troop of Nohrian soldiers. Some beat their wings in protest and others just hopped on their legs. A man dressed in a more decorated uniform with wrinkles and scars on his face approached them, bowing in front of Xander.

“Welcome back to Fort Dragonfall, Lord Xander.”

“It’s good to see you Commander Wallace,” Xander said, extending his arm for a handshake.

“And you. As you can see, your wyverns are ready to depart.”

Mozu looked up at Xander. “Depart? We’re going to ride them?”

“Yes. It’s the fastest and safest way to Cyrkensia.” Wonderful, she thought. Another place I haven’t heard of. This is what he must have meant about her riding skills. Still, horses had to be leagues different than riding wyverns. She was amazed some people could even tame such creatures, much less ride them into combat. Somehow, though, she didn’t feel scared. Nervous, probably, but she was, dare say, excited to fly? After all, everyone has dreams of flying.

As they led the wyverns out into the open field and attached the bags and trunks to the ones in the back, Xander went with the commander to meet the three up front that the party would use. Charlotte and Peri found their way towards Mozu again with the former making a shivering sound. “Ohhh! I’m too fragile to ride a big scary thing like that!”

“Not me!” said Peri. “I love riding wyverns...the way you descend on your enemies like an angel of death from the sky…anyway, you’ll be fine, Charlotte!” That statement alone made Mozu shiver and wonder where in the world Xander picked a retainer like that. “If you want, you can ride with me and make the boys share one!”

“Awe, thanks!” she said. “As long as you hold the reins.” As Xander waved towards Mozu, she took that as her cue to leave and meet up with him. He stood next to their wyvern, scratching under its neck. The wyvern made small cooing trills as it arched its head up to give Xander better access.

Mozu couldn’t help but let out a small, “Awe…”

“Camilla taught me that,” he said. “Would you like to try?” Mozu nodded eagerly and carefully approached. Her hand followed Xander as she felt for the first time the rough and coarse scales on a wyvern.

As she scratched the wyvern, she asked, “What’s its name?”

“Biscuit,” he replied.

Mozu snorted. “Nooo…really?”

“Really.” Xander looked back at the other wyvern escorts who had already mounted their units. The retainers seemed good to go as well. “We should mount. Ladies first.” Mozu took a deep breath and walked away from the head and towards the saddle. As Xander lifted her and placed her in front, she had half a mind to think that Biscuit would take off with her the same way Algol did so she stiffened her thighs again. Thankfully, though, Xander mounted himself before any of that could happen. He reached around her waist for the reins as he elbows squeezed around her. Probably for protection, she thought as she tried not to think about how close they were again. Though, she had to admit that she felt very protected.

Commander Wallace walked beside the wyvern and looked up at Xander. “We’re good to go, your highness. Have a safe trip.” He bowed and stepped away as Xander thanked him.

“Sakura,” he said. “Are you ready?”

Mozu finally said, “Yes.”

* * *

 

Leo crossed his arms, pacing around. “Again.”

Sakura took a deep breath, her eyes burning with determination. “King Garon’s father was King Siegrund and ruled for fifty-seven years. A rather peaceful rule apart from the two-month skirmish between Nohr and Hoshido over the distribution and trading of rare items, such as spices. The battle ended in a cease of trade between Nohr and Hoshido.”

Leo nodded. “And what did this do?”

“It only further escalated tensions between the two countries as Nohrian bandits have been making their way to Hoshido for decades in order to steal rare items to resell them in black markets.”

Leo lifted an eyebrow, stopping his pace. “Hm. Didn’t tell you about the black market deal.”

Sakura shrugged. “I k-kind of guessed…is that right?”

“Yes…talk about an educated guess.” Leo sat back down. “I’m impressed, Mozu.”

Sakura relaxed herself with a happy sigh. She knew she was good at retaining history and understanding consequences. Her Hoshidan tutors expected the same. True, history is what she asked Leo for, but now, she wanted something more. She had come prepared to ask him but she wasn’t sure if she would ask him correctly. Maybe it could even be considered selfish. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to ask. “Leo,” she said looking up at him. “It’s been a week and it’s been great.”

Leo tilted his head, his expression confused. “Don’t tell me you’re quitting.”

“What? No, no!” Sakura shook her head and arms. “Not at all! I’m enjoying it. It’s just…” She sighed again. “I thought about what you said about your retainers and how you wanted to extract their hidden talents.” Leo nodded. “A-and…I kind of want that for myself.’

He smiled softly. “I’m flattered that you think I am capable of such.”

“B-but you are…aren’t you?”

“Hm. I believe so,” he said, rolling his shoulders back. “Question is why you would ask.”

Sakura bit her lip. She knew she could not tell him that it was because this would be the only opportunity for her to explore other things since she would become queen full-time. “I guess you could say I don’t get opportunities like this when you’re in my position,” she said, choosing her words tactfully. “A-and to be in the tutelage of someone like you, w-well, that doesn’t happen often. A-and I think s-someone like you would want me to do. T-to take advantage of, I mean.”

There was a long pause that made Sakura’s heart raced as she tried to read Leo’s expression. He looked nonchalant and unimpressed as his fingers tapped on his desk. She could hear her own soft breaths and her palms cake with sweat. She sucked in her bottom lip, just waiting in agony. Finally, Leo’s expression softened and a smile curled on his lips as he sat up.

“You never cease to impress, Mozu.” Sakura’s anxiety faded as her shoulders reached her ears and her smile lit up her face. “Have I rubbed off on you in such a small amount of time?”

“Oh…maybe!” she said. “So…will you do it?”

“Oh, absolutely. There’s nothing worse than wasted potential.” He sat back in his chair, fist under his chin. “Why don’t you tell me what skills you already possess?”

“W-well, uhm…” She half-considered answering as Mozu would, but Sakura knew she was doing this for herself so she should do it as herself. “I trained with the shrine maidens in Hoshido and they taught me how to heal using traditional herbs and ointments to make salves, as well as using rods.”

Leo nodded slowly. “Ah, a shrine maiden? Just like your mistress?”

Sakura thought she’d sweat pebbles from that statement. “H-hm? Oh yes! Just like my mistress…hehe…H-how did you know that Sakura is a shrine maiden?”

Leo put his tongue in his cheek and stood up to walk to one of his cabinets. He pulled out a scroll of paper and sat back down, looking it over. “’Princess Sakura possesses many talents and skills required by her training of a shrine maiden.’” He set the paper on the desk. “Straight words from Queen Mikoto.” Sakura looked at the paper and leaned over the desk to take a better look. That definitely wasn’t her handwriting at all and resembled Leo’s, but she wasn’t about to say anything. “Well, not straight. I have a habit of copying important letters. It’s good for reference.” He smiled. “I even have the one where we negotiated with her other siblings. It took a lot of match-making for this to happen, hm?”

Sakura laughed. “It did? I-I wouldn’t know.”

“Oh yes. Apparently, Mikoto had to retract offering Prince Takumi to Elise because of ‘conflicting circumstances.’ I know you’re just a handmaiden,” he said, standing up to return the copied letter, “but you wouldn’t happen to know what those circumstances were, would you?”

“Uhm.” Sakura wasn’t sure if she should answer. Of course she knew of her own brother’s affections for his retainer and how those sudden affections had to compromise Mikoto. She knew how she offered herself, the youngest, to wed the eldest, Xander. But would a simple handmaiden know of these affairs? Well, she did tell Mozu but then again, she told Mozu things she shouldn’t. “I-I don’t know. R-royal affairs and all…”

“Of course, of course…” he said shaking his head, sitting back down. “Royal affairs. But we’re getting off-topic. Let’s get back to our previous topic. I’m not too knowledgeable about Hoshidan medicine or rituals, but you did mention herbs.” Sakura nodded quickly. “I could see that as a gateway.”

“G-gateway to what?”

Leo smiled and sat up straight, the tone of his voice sounding more confident. “Nohr has prided itself as an empire that adapts with the harsh land it was born with. We adapt by thinking of innovating ways to provide for the populace. I assume the faucet of water for your baths is nothing you can find in Hoshido.” He continued before Sakura could confirm. “And that is because Nohr doesn’t have water readily available anywhere in wells and springs. Our engineers then created pipelines to transport water throughout the country.”

Sakura nodded slowly, her eyebrows knitting together. “S-so…” she said meekly, trying to asses if she could speak now. “Y-you want me to…?”

“I want you to see if you could be someone Nohr needs. Perhaps you could develop medicine or salves for Nohrian ailments not found in Hoshido. You would have more resources than a common Apothecary.”

“Wh-what!?” she said, putting her hands up in surrender. “D-develop medicine? I-I won’t have the time b-being…handmaiden to the queen!”

“Yes, but Sakura won’t be queen for a while. They come back in a little less than a month and even then, we will have to wait until Father settles things in Cheve.”

“Okay, okay, even if I did have time, how do I know if I’m prepared for something like this?”

“You don’t,” Leo said, his tone indifferent.

“Th-that’s! That’s…” She paused and closed her eyes, inhaling slowly. She opened her eyes as she let the air pass through the ‘O’ she made with her lips. “Okay…is this what you want me to do?” she asked, her frantic voice lowering to meek.

Leo’s tone, in turn, turned softer as he leaned forward. “I want you to try and see if this is what you want to do. That is, if you’re serious about finding out if you can excel this.”

He was right. She asked for a challenge and he gave it to her. Sakura knew she had to do something before her life turned into having Xander’s probably many heirs and children, before her life turned into a rut. She wasn’t sure how much of a difference she could make as queen; she wasn’t sure if she was strong even to do anything, really. Healing was all she was good at, but people need healers. People need to know they’ll be okay and survive through the night. If she could really make a difference by curing the people of Nohr, then she would take it.

And it was all thanks to Leo. She did nothing but give him a calm, yet firm smile. He returned the gesture and stood up. “Good. Let’s get going then, shall we?”

* * *

 

Mozu sat on the edge of the bed in her smallclothes, staring at the silky kimono and accessories next to her. For three days she had been here in the Pleasure Capital of Nohr, Cyrkensia. Xander had been distant because he had wanted to surprise her again. All Mozu knew is that she couldn’t handle any more surprises meant for Sakura that were falsely given to her. Her only thought keeping her going was the fact that she figured Xander would do all of this anyway if it really were Sakura here instead. And she stared at this kimono, this _expensive_ kimono, clearly meant for someone of status to wear instead of her. She slipped off the bed to go to the mirror and stare at herself for the umpteenth time that night. How could they see someone with freckles on their arms and cheeks and hair that looked like muddy straw like her and think that she was a princess?

It might have been fine two weeks earlier when they arrived at the castle, but this trip tossed her into the deep end. Gosh, had she really been Sakura for two weeks? That would explain why she referred to herself as Sakura in her dreams. Still, Mozu figured she had it easy. After all of this was over, she would go back to being a handmaiden in Queen Sakura’s servitude. Being a handmaiden is easy. Though, she knew being queen would be very difficult and that’s why, perhaps, she still did this for her.

Her face lit up for the first time in a while. Sakura would want her to have fun and experience things a handmaiden would not normally do. Besides, she hadn’t hurt anyone. Peri and Charlotte have been great fun too. If it wasn’t for this big event tonight, they would probably still be out on the streets eating food and watching the performers. Now their banter and bickering resembled the kind between friends in their own strange ways. Someone the other day had made a comment about Peri’s hair and she was so joyful as Charlotte chewed the guy out.

Maybe tonight would have a memory like that. Mozu pat her cheeks as she walked to the kimono to slip it on. For tonight, yet again, she would be Princess Sakura and enjoy the life a royal would.

Once she finished, she received a knock on the door. She bit down on the hair piece in her mouth and said, “Come in!”

Peri and Charlotte let themselves in and Mozu turned to them, seeing them dressed different than usual. Both wore stylish uniforms of purple and black, accented with some silver. Peri seemed just fine with it as opposed to Charlotte who tugged on the high collar and kept tugging on her sleeves. “Like ‘em?” asked Peri. “Official Royal Retainer uniforms! They’re not comfy, though.”

“Seriously,” Charlotte said with a groan. “How do you even fight in this?”

“I’ve never had to kill in this, so we might be going somewhere boring,” Peri said, her smile slowly dropping. “I almost wish someone would come after Xander just so I can have some fun…” Mozu at this point had become used to Peri’s odd lust for blood, so she simply slipped the pin in her hair and smoothed out the wrinkles to her kimono.

“Okay,” she said. “I’m ready.” The two retainers escorted her out of the inn and through the streets of Cyrkensia, the night life keeping the city well-lit until dawn. Mozu looked around, in front and behind her. “We aren’t waiting for the others?”

“No, we are meeting them somewhere,” Peri said. “Just follow me!” And Mozu did for twenty minutes until they reached the edge of the city where the docks led into the open ocean. Before her on the docks was one of those short yet long boats that she had seen being rowed around the waterways of the city. Standing in the boat, holding an oar was Prince Xander himself. He too wore a formal uniform with a long coat-tail. His overcoat had golden accents instead of silver and all in all, Mozu had to admit he looked handsome. She felt her cheeks flush with color as she made her way towards him.

Xander’s simple smile won her over instantly as he extended his gloved hand to her. “Good evening, Sakura,” he said.

“Good evening, Xander.” She placed her hand on his and felt him take it gently like the first time they met. Her free hand covered her cheeky smile as he pulled her closer for a small kiss on her hand. “I-is this your surprise?”

“One of them. I would be honored if you would join-“

“Yes!” Mozu said, knowing she cut him off but she was excited. She was done with feeling mopey about this. Xander only seemed shocked for a second before he pulled her a little closer to beckon her onto the boat. With careful steps, she was able to get inside and sit. Xander turned to the retainers and dismissed them. Once they were out of earshot, Mozu asked, “Oh, you sent them away? We won’t need them?”

“We are going to the same location,” he said. “We’re just taking the scenic route.” He took hold of the oar with both hands and rowed the boat away from the dock. “Have you ever been on a gondola?”

So that’s what they were called. Mozu clapped her hands and looked around her. “No…” she said, facing the open ocean before her. “I don’t think I’ve ever been to the ocean.” The lights from the city made it hard to see anything, but she could clearly see the ethereal white moonlight on the water.

“I’ll be sure to give you a better look later.”

“So where are we going now?” she asked, facing him again. “Or…let me guess…surprise?”

“I promise that there won’t be as many surprises later on,” he said. “This place is special…and I want you to experience it a certain way.” Well, Mozu couldn’t argue with that. She watched as Xander effortlessly rowed this gondola around the perimeter of the city. She lifted her eyebrow and noticed the large dome building straight ahead. Maybe that’s where they were going but she decided to give him benefit of the doubt. “My father loves this place. He would take us here often if we got the chance.”

“It’s so lively,” Mozu said. “Peri and Charlotte had a lot of fun taking me around.”

“That’s good.” His smile faded into his usual frown, but his eyes took on a hint of guilt. “I’m sorry that I haven’t been around escorting you like I should.”

“What? Oh, it’s nothing! I know you’ve been planning this night for a while. You just wanted it to be magical, right?”

His eyes flickered with surprise and shifted away for a second. “Ah…” Mozu almost wanted to laugh, it was just so cute. “Y-yes…indeed.” He cleared his throat. “D-does it feel magical? Already?”

“Oh, yes!” she said, maybe a little too loud. “This gondola ride underneath the lights is so…so…” She knew the word she was looked for was ‘romantic’ but she certainly couldn’t say that. “Thoughtful.” Okay, that wasn’t any better but by the softening of Xander’s expression, he seemed to have taken it.

“Thank you…well, the night has only just begun.” Mozu looked behind her again to see that they were at the base of the large dome building. Not only that, but there was a direct waterway going inside the building. What in the world could it be? As they approached, two guardsmen stood on the sidewalk edge of the waterway and bowed when Xander stopped the gondola in front of them.

“Milord,” one said. “Welcome back to the opera house. The waters are empty, so you may stay wherever you like.” An opera house? What waters? Mozu bit the insides of her cheeks to keep still as Xander rowed forward down the waterway. As they drew closer and closer, Mozu could hear a crowd of voices swell louder and louder. Finally, they reached the open waters and Mozu tossed her head back to see the highest ceiling she had ever witnessed.

To her left were high columns and vast numbers of seats and boxes for the large, crowded audience. To her right was the stage; the actual stage! If someone came to the edge, she could reach out and grab their foot! Not that she would. But she could. As Xander ferried them towards the center, the voices of the crowd dropped with scattered shushing. At that moment, Mozu knew thousands of eyes were on her and she suddenly felt so small. Her arms hugged herself again as she tried to look towards the empty stage.

“Hey.” Xander sat down in front of her as the gondola slowly floated. “Don’t look or listen to them. It’s just me here.” His hand reached for her own but Mozu hesitated. That it, until she looked up at his face. Yes, it was the same simple smile as always but it was _different_. She couldn’t explain it, but it was. It was a smile that made her smile back and squeeze his hand. She couldn’t look away from his perfect purple eyes either…

What was happening.

She snapped out of it when the lights in the audience dimmed down and the stage remained lit. The center red curtain parted and a man in noble’s clothing walked towards the center of the stage. Hearing the audience and Xander clap, Mozu did too and waited for this man to say or do something.

“Welcome!” he said, his voice booming. “To the Cyrkensian Opera House! Tonight is a special occasion, for we are joined by the future king and queen of Nohr!” He looked right into Mozu’s eyes, almost instilling fear as he pointed his hand towards them. “Prince Xander of Nohr and Princess Sakura of Hoshido, we are greatly honored by your presence. May your rule together keep peace for generations to come!” At that point, the audience erupted in cheers and applause, nearly scaring her enough for her to jump off the boat.

Xander squeezed her hand and leaned in. “Just wave.” She nodded and turned with him towards the audience and lifted her arm. She mimicked his subtle movements and tried not to focus on a particular face at all. The applause died down, allowing the two to turn back towards the stage. “My apologies,” he whispered. “I didn’t know he would out us like that.”

“It was a little fun…” she said. “Your people looked happy.”

“ _Our_ people.”

She sucked in her bottom lip, trying to hid yet another grin. What was with all the grinning? Thankfully, the man spoke again. “And now, without further ado, I present to you the finest show on Nohr! Enjoy!” He exited with another small round of applause as the stage went completely dark now, the silence deafening.

Softly, the strings of an instrument she could not name were being plucked as she could make out a couple of shapes circling around the stage in a slow manner. The instrument played until she could no longer hear the sounds of shuffling feet and then it faded out. A light, yet very quick and very loud drum started playing and a second after it stopped, the lights flashed back onto the stage where a couple dozen girls posed symmetrically around the rim of the stage. Their bright, flowing costumes left uncovered their midriff and all wore veils below their eyes. The drums started again and the girls started to dance, using the sashes in their hands to accentuate their water-like moves. Their hips moved with the beat of the drum and when everything grew quiet, their voices boomed and their dance moves turned from water to pure fire.

Mozu felt like a child as she witnessed the spectacular choreography from the songstresses. Their voices melded together into a chorus that sounded more intense, more tribal than ethereal. Their eyes, their moves, and the strong beats of the drums were hypnotic. Less than halfway, the songstresses parted and made way for two others that took center stage. The two took each other’s hands and begun a dance of their own. With a loud boom from the drums, their sashes turned into flames. Mozu, along with the audience, gasped as they watched the two songstresses literally dance with fire.

She kept to the edge of her seat on the gondola for the entire show. One song was performed completely in the dark and all she could see were the red markings on the dancer’s bodies and large masks that had a faint glow. The last song featured one songstress with the voice of an angel. She came out in a white gown and sung as if she were praying to the gods above. She slowly came closer to the edge of the stage and Mozu swore she looked directly at her. Her heart swelled as the beautiful singer reached the edge and lifted her arms for her final note. The show ended with a thunderous beat of the final drum and even some fire sparks. As the light returned on the audience, a roar of applause thundered throughout the opera house. Mozu herself clapped until her palms turned red and even then, she clapped some more. The songstress in white turned towards the royals before her and bowed deeply. Nothing could accurately describe the warm sensation in her, but she felt amazing. She knew she would never get to see something as spectacular this like again so she enjoyed each moment. Mozu turned back to Xander and found his smile yet again but his eyes were different. While still duller than the average person, she could still see excitement and his own spark. It wasn’t much to anyone else, but to her, it spoke volumes. Those same eyes turned to her as he leaned forward.

“Did you enjoy it?” he asked as the applause started to die down.

“Are you kidding? That was amazing!” she said. “I loved it!” Xander stood up to start rowing the boat towards the waterway. As they left the prying eyes of the audience, Mozu couldn’t stop gushing about the show. “I just loved the music for the whole show! I never thought it would be all old-timey and tribal like that! I think I heard instruments that I’ve never heard before!”

Xander chuckled as he brought them back to the ocean. “That’s the magic of this place. What did you think of the last performer?”

“Gosh…” she said, holding her cheeks. “I wish I could sing like that. Though, if I tried, I think I would break a window.” The both of them laughed at her small joke before Mozu realized he wasn’t going the way they came. She looked back and saw that they were getting further from the city. “Ah, are you sure about this?”

“I’m sure,” he said. “You can’t see the stars too close to the city anyway.” Couldn’t argue with that. The sounds of people and footsteps from the city mellowed out and was replaced by the soft crashing of waves. Now, Mozu could only hear the gondola cutting its path in the water. She tipped her head up, finally able to see the stars peppered among the sky. The only light that shone was the moonlight, reflecting against the waters. As Xander stopped oaring to sit back down, Mozu scooted herself to the edge of the gondola and rolled up her sleeves. She dipped her hand in the water, surprised that it was warmer than she thought. She turned back to see Xander holding out a handkerchief for her. “How’s the water?” he asked as she dried her hand.

“Warm, actually...it’s so quiet out here,” she said.

“Do you like it?”

“What girl wouldn’t?”

Xander cleared his throat and paused after her reply. She watched him before he finally reached into his coat and pulled out a black box, much like the earrings one, but bigger. Oh dear. “I-I want to start off and say that I greatly appreciate you trying to accustom towards our Nohrian traditions.”

“It hasn’t been hard,” she said. “I think I kind of like your traditions.”

“Ahem, yes…Well, I felt bad for presenting you a gift you could not wear, so…” He held out the box and opened it up. There, staring at Mozu right in the face, was a gorgeous silver necklace with the amethysts in the center. Just like the earrings, the silver wrapped around them like vines. She could barely breath as Xander pulled the necklace out and set down the box. “…What do you think?”

Mozu thought she was going to cry. This, without a doubt, was a gift for her. She knew the colors suited her better than Sakura and the fact that he bought a necklace when the earrings didn’t work just made it all for her. She knew Xander was waiting for a reaction, but there was nothing she could do to show or say how much she loved it. _I don’t even deserve it at all…_

He held it out for her to take and with shaking hands, she took it from his own. She held the delicate necklace in the palm of her hands before moving her hair to the side to safely clasp it behind her neck. “I-it doesn’t go with this kimono at all…but it’s so beautiful,” she said in a soft voice. Feeling the small weight on her neck made her feel like a princess.

Xander’s face washed with relief. “Oh good…I made it, you know.”

Her eyes widened. “Wha? You-you…what?”

“I didn’t want to let the earrings go to waste, so, I figured I could use them for this.”

“Th-that’s incredible!” she said, looking at it more. Sure it was a bit flashy, but if she were a princess, she would wear dresses each day to go with it. “You’re so talented…is it a hobby?”

“Hobby? Ah, no,” he said shaking his head. “I learned a lot of crafting and blacksmithing to care for my personal sword. It took some work, but I’m pleased with it if you are.”

“Oh, no contest!” she said, her face bright with happiness. “So, if this isn’t your hobby, then what is?”

Xander scratched the back of his neck and broke eye contact. “Ah…not sure if I really have one.”

Mozu frowned and crossed her arms. “What? How can you be not sure? Everyone has a hobby that they will find time for. Doesn’t matter if they’re peasants or princes.”

The corner of his lips turned into a shy smile as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “W-well…I don’t do it often. I’m not that great, but…but I do enjoy writing.”

“Writing?” Mozu blinked in surprise. “L-like stories?”

“Short stories,” he said, his voice a little meeker than usual. “P-poems, too. As I said, I am not good.”

“How do you know? Is that what other people tell you?”

“I don’t let other people read it.” Oh. She looked down to see his hands holding each other and his thumbs twiddling. She noticed him take a deep breath and how hard it was for him to keep eye contact. Oh gods, she thought. He’s nervous. He’s probably never told anyone this before. She leaned forward too, putting her hands over his. She felt them shake for a second but as she squeezed them, they stopped.

“I’m sure you’re great. Y-you don’t have to show me them at all, but…” She shrugged. “I think you should keep going. And if you’re the only one reading it, then who cares if you think it’s bad? It’s for you.”

Xander’s expression turned blank as if he had no idea how to look in this situation. The creases in his knitted eyebrows came back, almost making him look angry, but Mozu had seen him enough times to know this was not the case. He opened his mouth to speak finally, but started by closing his eyes and taking a small breath. “Thank you, Sakura,” he said, ending with a smile. “It’s late. I’ll take you back to the inn.”

Silence ensued for the rest of the trip, but none of it awkward. She wasn’t sure if Xander felt the exact same way, but she felt as if they had a silent agreement to just…enjoy each other’s company, she supposed. The smiles they exchanged were genuine and she felt no guilt looking away to intake the surroundings. At one point, she leaned over to put her hand in the water again, still looking at him row the gondola. With her eyes half-lidded and her heart as ease, she felt peace.

At the docks, he handed the gondola to a guardsmen and walked her to the inn. A couple of bystanders had now recognized them as the prince and princess, bowing and curtseying. She waved and greeted, mimicking Xander’s own behavior all the way into the inn and at her door. “So,” she said. “Is this goodnight?”

Xander paused before holding up a finger. “Actually, would you mind waiting for a moment?” He took a step back. “I’ll be right back!”

“O-okay…” And he was off. She leaned against her door until she heard his footsteps return. Xander had ran to her, carrying a folded piece of parchment. “Oh. What’s-“ She stopped herself and realized what it was. Without another word, she put her hand on his and gently handled the paper. She couldn’t believe it.

“Th-there’s no rush. Well…” He bowed. “Good night.”

“Good night…” Mozu smiled and watched him walk down the corridor before disappearing into her own room. As fast as she could, she untied the obi and tossed it off along with the kimono. She took her hair out of its updo and put the pin aside before kicking off her shoes, now only wearing her small clothes. She tossed herself on the bed with Xander’s paper in her hands. Slowly and carefully, she opened it up and recognized the format of a poem.

_Roses_

_Thorny, Red_

_Growing, Showing, Wilting_

_Always fear the most beautiful_

_Flower_

At the end, Mozu read it over again, a perplexed look on her face. It was…kind of typical. And boring. Not that she’s an expert at poetry, but doesn’t everyone write about flowers? Still, reading it over and over, it brought a warm smile to her face. Maybe it wasn’t so much as boring as it was trying to be straightforward. Much like Xander. She couldn’t believe he had the courage to show her this early when no one else had seen it. Just thinking about it swelled her heart as she pressed the paper against her chest.

Then suddenly she opened her eyes, clutching the necklace around her neck. Wait.

Something’s not right here.

* * *

 

After more than a week, Niles had his lead. A lot of travelers he had talked to said Sakura had pink hair. He believed them but he wanted to confirm it with someone from Hoshido who couldn’t be fooled. He had been hanging around the Hoshidan smugglers that were trying to sell their products before the treaty enacted legal trade. He hung around the dark corner, listening to a bunch of suppliers talk about the treaty. C’mon, he thought. Give me something good…

“’Sides,” said one. “Why did we hafta give up little Sakura?”

“It ain’t gonna look good,” said another. “Her little pink hair is gonna look terrible in purple.”

Niles’s eye widened as he listened closer. Pink hair? Well I’ll be. He smirked and turned the corner to make his way back to the castle.

Bad news. That Sakura with Xander wasn’t Sakura. The good news? She might be the one with Leo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So things are getting wrinkly. I have to admit, I liked the dance sequence in Cyrkensia waaaaay too much so that might have leaked over. I hope you enjoyed it!


	10. Despite Everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Uhm. Remember how the last chapter was 14 pages.  
> So. Uhm.  
> This is one is 21.  
> I know. I know. I'm sorry YET NOT SORRY.  
> This might be one of my faves in terms of story and plot, hence its length. This one does go a little fast, so I suggest gettin a snack!

**Despite Everything**

 

According to the calendar, a week and then some had passed, but to Leo, it seemed longer. He attributed this to the distinct lack of handmaiden company. Ever since he brought her to Windmire’s busiest clinic, Mozu had been going each day. She said that she was healing things she had never seen before and mixing new medicines. Of course, he always sent her with an escort. He had been meaning to check on her progress. The head of the clinic sent him a letter a day ago, absolutely ecstatic about having someone like her as a volunteer. The commoners in the clinic loved her too. She exuded that aura of peace and calm that any good physician needed.

Perhaps she should study medicine. If only, he thought. She seemed too devoted to Lady Sakura to consider quitting.

He looked up from his letters every now and then, expecting her to ask him a question about Nohr’s history or culture. Now he had to make peace with the fact he put her in that clinic like she wanted. Even with Odin’s boisterous personality, he did feel a tad, daresay, lonely. Odin was amusing, but no way could he hold an intelligent conversation with him like he could with this mysteriously educated handmaiden. If she was a handmaiden.

Even with all the good she had done, not even the Nohrian maids knew complicated matters like herself. He knew some people, like him, had innate intuition but he could tell the marks of a learned person and Mozu had them. Then there was his sinking feeling that Lady Sakura wasn’t Sakura at all, but hopefully Niles would come back and tell him that Lady Sakura is a brown-haired freckled girl.

Speaking of that handmaiden, he knew he should visit her today. It had been a couple of days and it would be nice to see these heroic accounts first hand. He packed up his study and left everything tidy before walking outside. Odin stood up straight from leaning against the wall and said, “Ah! Welcome back, Lord Leo! Where shall we venture off today?”

“We’re just going to the clinic,” he said, “to see Mozu.”

“Ahh…the clinic!” Odin said, clutching his chest. “Where mortals battle against the beasts of pestilence and death…soon, we may even find our match there.” Leo rolled his eyes and wondered for the umpteenth time why he had him around. Oh, right, because he was useful in a fight. Well, with the treaty, it didn’t look like there would be fights anytime soon.

Breaking him out of his train of thought were the hurrying footsteps of a maid. “Milord Leo!” she called out from behind. He turned around to see her stop and curtsey. “Milord Leo, a Sky Knight from Hoshido is here. He delivers an important package for Princess Sakura.”

“Ah,” he said. “Well, since Lady Sakura isn’t present, I suppose we’ll intercept it.” He walked with the maid all the way to the front gates of Krakenburg where a lone male Sky Knight stood next to his winged mount. Leo smirked, knowing that a wyvern could out-strength a Pegasus any day, but he kept that to himself. Once Leo was there, the Sky Knight saluted him. “You are the messenger from Hoshido?”

“Yes, Milord,” he said, gesturing to the trunk before him. “This koto belonged to Lady Sakura and Queen Mikoto thought it fit to send it to her. Also,” he reached into his uniform and pulled out a letter. “The queen sends the princess this letter with specific instructions.”

“What kind of instructions?” Leo asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

The Sky Knight hesitated before speaking again. “She said ‘Open this when you have doubts about your engagement.”

Leo looked at the man like he had two heads. “Doubts? What kind of…” He cleared his throat. “Princess Sakura is away with her fiancé at the moment. As acting Lord of the castle, I will see to it that she receives this. Thank you.” The Sky Knight handed Leo the letter and saluted once more before mounting his Pegasus to fly back to Hoshido. Leo looked down at the trunk at their feet and crossed his arms.

“Milord!” said Odin. “Allow me!” He bent over to lift the trunk himself but could only tip it an inch off the ground with a loud grunt before giving up. Leo let out a disgusted groan and opened up Brynhildr.

“Hold on…” He waved his hand and cast a spell on the trunk, lessening the pull of gravity on it. Odin lifted it once more, this time with ease.

“Hah! Told you I could do it! Where does Milord Leo wish for Odin to place the trunk?”

“Be careful with that. It’s an instrument after all.” An idea sparked into his clever mind right there. A plain mark of any educated person is the mastery of an instrument. Just because the koto was Sakura’s did not mean Sakura had to actually play it… He wondered if it was Mozu who knew how to play. And with Odin carrying it, what had he to lose? “We’re going to the clinic.”

Leo ordered the maid to bring around his horse, Rasalas and an extra escort on the account of Odin carrying the trunk. He made his way out of the castle walls and into the inner circle of Windmire. Thankfully, the clinic was in a less densely populated area unlike, say, the outer ring. He passed by other noble estates before reaching the building at the end where civilians were lining up at the slight chance of treatment. They made way for Prince Leo and his escorts, but he could feel the vilified looks upon his back. He knew the frustration his people faced and even if he could never understand, he knew it was within his power to help.

He asked a passing nurse where Mozu would be and she pointed him in the direction of one of the infirmary rooms. He made his way there, trying to be as subtle as he could, even with Odin carrying a trunk behind him. From the doorway, he could make out the head of pink among the others of bleak brown and grey. A smile crept on his face as he watched her sit beside of the beds to apply a salve to a patient’s arm. Though he could not make out their conversation, he could hear the purity in her voice as she spoke in a calm manner. Once she finished, she stayed to finish their conversation before standing up. As she lifted her head and wiped her hands on her apron, her eyes met Leo’s across the room. Her body jolted and jogged towards him.

“I-I’m sorry!” she said. “I didn’t see-! No one told-“

“It’s quite alright,” he said. “I have something of a personal delivery for Princess Sakura.” Her face flushed white, he noticed. Odd. “But since she’s not here…” And color returned to her face. Very odd. “…I figured it best to give them to you. Since you are her handmaiden, I’m sure you’d make sure they would fall into her hands no matter what.”

“Oh, yes!” she said, her cheeks red. “Definitely! Wh-what are they?”

“Firstly,” Leo said, turning his head to Odin. With a quick hand signal, he motioned for Odin to set it down as he undid the gravity spell. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”

Mozu nodded and walked over, kneeling down to open it. She unclicked the locks and propped the trunk open, ending with a large gasp. “M-my!” Leo lifted an eyebrow. “O-oh my! It’s Sakura’s koto.”

“Yes, well, the messenger never specified if it was you or Sakura who played it. And, I assume any personal delivery like this could only be under her name.”

She looked up at him, nodding eagerly. “Y-yes, you’d be right.”

“So, someone as clever as you must know how to play, yes?”

She blinked in surprise and stood up. “M-me? W-well…” Her eyes looked askance. “Y-yes, but, how did you know…?”

Leo rolled his shoulders in a shrug. “I know people. And you quite well, I’m afraid.”

She pushed some hair behind her ear, but it only fell back around the frame of her face. “S-so, what is the other thing?”

Leo reached into his coat and pulled out the letter. “A letter from Queen Mikoto. Apparently, she gave specific instructions that don’t bode well with me.”

Mozu looked up. “What did she say?”

“She instructed Sakura not to open it unless she had doubts about her engagement.” Mozu’s eyes turned as wide as they could as the rose color from her cheeks faded again. He handed her the letter anyway, his eyebrows narrowed. “You wouldn’t happen to know what she is talking about?”

With a jolt, Mozu shook her head and took the letter in her fingers. “I don’t…well…” She took a quick breath of hair and huffed it out. “Many of her people know that Queen Mikoto has a gift of foresight,”

“Foresight? Like…like seeing the future?”

“B-but she was always saying that the future was always changing.” Her lips formed into a pout. “P-perhaps…perhaps she saw a future where Sakura had doubts.”

Leo took a step forward, placing his hand on her shoulder. His leaned in close, his voice hushed, but dead-serious. “You know her. Do you think she has doubts?”

Mozu’s eyes jumped from the letter to his own and he could see her fingers creasing the letter. “Uhm…” she said. “N-not that I know of? A-and why would she? X-Xander…he’s great.”

“Mhm. Then, Mozu, I have to ask you for something,”

“Oh?...w-what is it?”

“Unless Sakura explicitly tells you she has second feelings, do not show this letter to her. I am afraid that if she knows it exists, it will turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy and she will start to wonder if she _should_ have doubts. Do you understand?” She closed her eyes as her chest expanded with a big gulp of air. She nodded once as she exhaled deeply. Leo stood up straight and took his hand from her shoulder. “Good. Thank you for understanding.”

Mozu slipped the letter inside the obi of her yukata and turned her attention to the koto behind Leo. “S-so, Milord. Are you staying for a while?”

“I came here to see you, so…yes.”

She hid her soft giggle behind one of her fists. “Ah…right. I-I was thinking, maybe…maybe it would be nice to play the patients some music.”

“Indeed,” Leo said, his voice sounding less intimidating and formal. “Odin here will help you set up. Let me talk to your supervisors.”

She gasped, her shoulders reaching her ears as color returned to her cheeks. “Thank you, Milord!” Not a moment after, Leo felt her arms wrap around him and squeeze him for a brief moment. In that sliver of a second, Leo felt not just the warmth of her body against him, but, call him mad, he could feel the happiness in the way she held him. Without thinking about it, he would have instinctively held her too if she did not pull herself away. She turned half-face, her arms closed in around her. In a small, hushed voice, she said “I-I’m sorry…”

Leo shook the look of surprise on his face and lowered his arms. “I-It…ahem, it’s fine,” he said. She dared to take a peek at him, straightening her back. After a long pause of staring, Leo smiled. “What are you waiting for?” he said. “Go. I’ll be back.” He made his way down the long columns of beds and families huddled around each one to find the nurse in charge of this particular room. As he spoke to her, he watched from the corner of his eye Mozu down the room, setting up with Odin. He could also see Odin’s arms waving around perhaps as he talked her ear off. Once the arrangements were set, he walked back.

“Indeed, I am from two worlds altogether!” Odin proclaimed. “My mother was a fair maiden, trapped behind castle walls. And my father was nothing more than a rat that scoured the streets in search of—oh, Milord Leo!” He saluted. “Are we ready?”

“Yes, we are,” he said, looking to Mozu. “Are you?” She crouched and knelt behind the instrument, her fingers sliding across the strings but not yet plucking them.

“I-I…yes. Should we quiet them?”

Leo moved to stand next to her. “Not at all. Just begin playing.” Her eyes widened. “They will listen.”

Mozu took another large breath and pulled on her own fingers. She straightened her back and closed her eyes, making Leo all the more curious on how she would play this instrument he hadn’t seen or heard before. Finally, her fingers found their way to the strings and she began plucking. She played the same note for a couple of second, plucking others on the scale as the infirmary room silenced itself. Her fingers paused before playing again, this time, with an actual melody.

If Leo had to pick one word to describe the way a koto sound, he would choose “mysterious.” It sounded like everything he did not know about Hoshido, about its people and culture. The melody sounded nothing like a typical Nohrian march, but rather, a slow, somber, and unhinged selection of notes. He watched her fingers, trying to match strings to notes, but it was an entirely different instrument. Sometimes, she would move so fast that he couldn’t see which pluck made what note. Regardless, whatever Mozu did, it was beautiful.

People had ceased their crying, their moaning to sit up and listen with open hearts to her song. No one dared cough or even drop a pin to listen, almost as if the song would heal their maladies. There was something about the ever changing melody that made the song as magical as the girl playing it. Her eyes kept closed, as if concentrating, and her fingers moved like dancers along the stage that was the koto. For once, Leo’s ever overpopulated mind was empty, which is why it was so jarring when she stopped and his mind returned to thinking of a thousand things.

Mozu stood up slowly, still holding everyone’s undivided attention. She bowed slowly and instead of clapping or cheering, the patients bowed their heads. Leo stared aghast as a room of Nohrians conformed to a Hoshidan greeting of thanks.

Finally, he thought, he found Mozu’s hidden talent.

* * *

 

The real Mozu felt stuck. The last three days she spent in Cyrkensia and the next four in which they traveled in a carriage to Macarath were ungodly. She spoke to Xander, keeping a front of cheerfulness, but answered his questions vaguely. She wanted to answer as Sakura, but she felt guilty answering for her mistress to things that might not be true. On the other hand, she could not answer as country gal Mozu who was nothing like the princess. At this point, she did not know where Mozu ended and Sakura started or the other way around. She kept wearing the necklace and insisted she loved it, but even insisting that she did felt terrible. Mozu herself loved it but she knew it wasn’t meant to be. Those beautiful earrings should have never become this necklace because Sakura had her ears pierced the entire time. It was Mozu’s fault that this necklace existed and it remained as a reminder of the lies she lived.

Of course, she would be nothing but friendly to everyone, wearing a fake smile and bearing these clouding thoughts. She had no other choice.

As for Xander, thinking about him was dangerous territory. Even now as they chatted about different grains in their countries, she couldn’t think of anyone else. Ever since their date night in Cyrkensia, ever since he made her the necklace, Mozu felt crushed between two boulders. One boulder represented how the real Mozu felt about him and the other represented the foregone conclusion that he is marrying someone else. On top of those two boulders was another that said “By the way, he thinks he’s marrying you.”

She wasn’t sure how much more she could take it. Interrupting their conversation, Xander tilted his head to look out the window. “Ah,” he said. “We’re here.”

“Already?” she looked out the window too and glanced behind her to see the large city walls before them. According to Xander, Macarath wasn’t as extravagant as Cyrkensia or large as Windmire, but it had its own perks. Apparently, Garon makes frequent vacations here to gamble and be entertained. “How many times have you been here?”

“Ah…” He rubbed the back of his neck and did not make a lot of eye contact. “M-many times. It’s like a second home for us.” Mozu sat back and gauged his movements. He must have been cramped in the carriage again. She wasn’t surprised since his head all but pressed against the top. Apparently, they will wait in Macarath until Algol and the rest of their left behind supplies arrived to carry them through the forest. Maybe she would take Charlotte and Peri out to play money games. She wouldn’t be a rich princess forever. Whatever the case, she couldn’t spend too much time with the prince.

The party arrived at Garon’s private estate in Macarath where they would be staying. By now, Mozu had memorized the routine of greeting the caretakers, casually fighting with the retainers on carrying her luggage, and finally plopping on the large, fluffy bed that would be hers for the next week or so. Thankfully, this was the last major city before traveling through the woods and forest, sleeping in tents. Being out in nature suited Mozu much better than being a city girl. Well, dinner was in a couple of hours, so she supposed she should change. After running out of kimonos, Peri and Charlotte had suggested she try on the Nohrian dresses provided in the cabinet for her. Perhaps now she would take up the offer.

Mozu dragged herself off the bed and pulled her traveling tunic off as she walked in her smallclothes to the cabinet. After opening it up, she decided to wear something not requiring those awful laces that nearly killed her. Surprisingly, she pulled out a deep green dress with flowing, loose sleeves and subtle gold trimmings. She looked at the other side and saw that it had no back. Still meant no ties. This would do. Nohrians must like tiny women because the dress fit her like a glove. To make sure, she took a large breath and puffed out her chest, easily sucking in and exhaling. She felt a chill down her spine from the open back, but at least she could breath. She let her hair down, waves and all from being tied, and walked to her knapsack to put in her old flower accessory. It had been too long.

She waited until the female retainers picked her up and escorted her to the dining room. She could tell it was smaller than the one in Krakenburg, the wood table not as polished, and the silverware not as ornate. It did, however, feel more cozy with the fireplace’s warmth touching every corner. Xander stood up from his chair at the head of the table to greet her, locking eyes. And here is where the problem lied with Mozu. The instant, very second she found his eyes that matched her necklace, all of that nonsense of her being both or neither Sakura or Mozu just vanished. “I must say,” he said, “it is quite nice to see you in a Nohrian gown.”

“I-I guess I finally found one that wouldn’t choke me…hehe…” She felt the color rise to her cheeks, wondering why in the world she would say that. She didn’t have to remind him of that.

Instead, Xander laughed shortly at the joke. He turned towards the retainers at the door. “Thank you. You are dismissed.” Wait, no, Mozu thought. Please don’t leave me alone with him, please don’t--

And they’re gone. Right. Mozu bit the inside of her cheek as she forced a smile, following Xander as he pulled out her chair. “I-it really does look lovely on you,” he said.

“A-ah…thank you,” she said, tucking some of her wavy hair behind her ear. Now she wondered if she should have done her hair. “You never change,”

“How so?”

“You always look so handsome.” She felt like punching herself in her gut right afterwards. Xander blinked in surprise, the stiffness in his face softening. Finally, he let out a half-laugh, half-cough as his fingers ran through his wavy hair. “S-sorry,” she said, her nails digging crescent moons into her palm. “I-I don’t know where that came from.”

“…Is it the truth?”

“Yes!...oh dear…”

“Sakura,” he said, his tone back to normal, “don’t worry about it.” Before she could open her mouth, the doors burst open with wait staff bringing in food and drink. The main plate that was set right before her had a whole pig, apple in the mouth and all. The rich smell itself make her mouth water as she stared at the perfect golden-brown roast before her. A waiter used the large knife in the center to cut the first two pieces for herself and Xander as the others poured wine and water for them. They left as quick as the came but Mozu could only stare at the beautiful piece of pork on her plate. “Dig in.”

“Oh, I will. It looks amazing!” she said, cutting it up into little pieces. Thank goodness that she learned the fork and knife along this trip.

“Roasted and turned slowly for almost an entire day.” She watched him pop a bite into his mouth. He closed his eyes and he groaned softly. That made her eager to try it and when she sunk her teeth into the skin and meat, she reacted in a similar way. If there was one thing she couldn’t complain about on this trip, it was the food.

“So good…” She and Xander sated their initial appetite before slowing down enough to make significant conversation.

“I have to apologize for waiting this long,”

“For talking? I was hungry, you were hungry. It’s fine!”

“No, no, not that.” He set down his utensils and took ahold of his goblet. “We have spent a great deal of time together, and yet, I feel as if I don’t know as much about you as I’d like.”

Mozu slowly set down her utensils. “W-well…I thought the b-beauty of us was that…that we didn’t need a lot of talking. I-I…I really enjoy spending time with you.”

“Oh, I agree.” He slid his hand closer to hers, fingertips touching. “But I’d still like to know things…things like your birthday, your favorite foods…fears.”

And here, against better judgment, she laced her fingers with his. In the back of her mind, she knew all of these things about Sakura, but she barely thought about the real princess around him, even when he called her by her name. “October sixth,” she said.

“Really? I was born in October as well. The twenty-seventh!”

“Maybe we’ll make October a national celebration month!” she joked. “It’ll be the both of our birthdays from the sixth until the twenty-seventh,”

Xander laughed. “Goodness, nothing would be done if our people celebrated throughout the whole month.”

She laughed too, squeezing his hand. “Favorite foods?...hm..that’s a hard one. You first.”

“Well…” he said, relaxing his shoulders. “If anyone else asks, it’s beef pastry. The juiciness of the meat mixed with the crunch of the pastry is…it gets me every time. But, in reality…” He leaned in. “I love strawberry shortcake.”

Mozu nearly blurted out her laugh. “Wh-what? B-but when I made you…you said…”

“I never said I dislike sweets…and for the most part, I do. I much prefer the plain rolls over a grand cake, but.” He sighed. “There’s something refreshing and fun about a strawberry shortcake. I feel like a boy when I eat it. Certainly unbecoming of the future king.”

“Awe, but it’s cute!” she said. “I’ll keep it a secret, but you can eat strawberry shortcake whenever you want around me.”

“Careful,” he said. “I might gain a little gut if you promise that,”

“Yeah right.”

“So. I shared mine. And yours?”

Mozu bit her lip as she racked her mind for an answer. “Alright…here it goes. _Kabayaki_.” Xander looked puzzled. “It’s eel cut and cooked after being dipped in sauce. Usually you find it on the streets of Hoshido.”

“E-eel, hm?”

“Don’t knock it ‘till you try it!”

“P-perhaps, when we visit Hoshido in the future, I’ll humor you and try it.” Mozu blinked in surprise, but was a trip back to Hoshido really such a far stretch? It was her home after all. “I believe the last item on my list was fears.”

Mozu pressed her lips into a thin line, her hand squeezing his. He squeezed back as he waited, but patiently, for her response. In a soft voice, she answered, “Being alone,” she said. “Or worse…being useless.” She looked up at him, speaking only the truth. “I-I know it sounds dumb and not a real fear like bugs. I can handle bugs! It’s…” She sighed. “T-to me, there’s nothin’ worse than not doing anything. It’s why I-“ And she stopped there, knowing if she indulged anything more, it would give her away.

“…Why you?...”

“I…” She couldn’t make up an excuse either. She sat there, frozen and rigid as he sat up.

“You don’t have to tell me,” he said. “At least…not now.”

“R-really?”

“We have a whole lifetime ahead of us, Sakura,” he said, squeezing her hand again. “I can wait.”

The simple smile he gave made her heart all aflutter, her free hand reaching up to press against the necklace around her neck. She wanted to tell him more of the truth, but he saved her from doing so. “In all honesty,” he said. “I feel the same way. I constantly worry about whether or not I will be a good king for Nohr. Sometimes, I wonder if doing nothing is worse than doing bad.”

“Of course you’ll be good!” she said. “You care about your people. A-and in the opera house, they looked so happy to see you, really!”

“That’s quite kind.” He sighed, running his fingers through his hair again. “I…I feel like I can be, with you by my side. You seem the kind to tell me if I would make a mistake,”

“Of course I would,” she said with grin. “It’s like you said: we owe it to Nohr.” We? Why did she say ‘we’?

“That we do.” He went to say something else before a knock at the door interrupted him. “Ah, must be dessert.” The both of them looked down at their tightly intertwined hands and quickly pulled away, using said hands to run through their hair or fix their clothes. Xander told them to come in and a girl with long, wavy brunette hair and wearing a simple dress carrying a large silver tray of pastries walked in.

She bowed before them and even though Mozu was slightly distracted by the pastries, she heard a quick gasp coming from Xander. She spoke with a sweet gentleness in her voice “My future king and queen, the best bakery in Macarath humbly offers their best for you.” She lifted her head. “We hope you-“ She gasped too, her pale blue eyes going wide. Mozu saw that she was staring at Xander who, even as he tried to hide it, looked equally as surprised. The girl finally shook her head and set the pastries down on the table. “I-I…s-sorry.” She bowed quickly and dashed out.

Mozu almost didn’t believe what just happened. She looked to Xander who looked like he had seen a ghost. He gripped the arm of the chair for support as he took small breaths. Immediately, she had a thousand questions. “Xander-“

“Excuse me.” He stood up, tossed his napkin over his plate, and walked right out. It wasn’t until he shut the door did Mozu realized that the last two minutes just happened. If anything, she wondered just who that girl was and what she did to make Xander distraught enough to leave. She knew it was so unlike him to run. Surely, she couldn’t stay here. She tossed her napkin away too and picked up her skirt, walking out the door. Outside, the retainers looked just as flabbergasted.

“Which way!?” Mozu said.

Laslow cleared his throat. “Pastry girl went that way, but Xander went that-oh, okay, be safe!”

Mozu ran in the direction that Laslow said, finding that it led to the courtyard of the estate. She moved past the bushes and found the fountain in the center. Sitting on its edge hunched over was the prince. She took a deep breath before walking slowly but surely over to him. He held his head in his hand, not looking up at her as she reached his side. It killed her heart to see him upset. Finally, he sat up, his eyes looking withered. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She sat next to him. “At least, not until you explain what’s going on.”

“I fled because I wasn’t sure if I was ready to tell you.” Her heart beat against her chest. “But…but I want you to know.”

“Xander, you don’t have to. If you will wait for me, I will-“

“I want to tell you.” Mozu closed her mouth and scooted closer. She nodded once, telling him that it was okay. Xander turned his head up towards the sky. “Years ago, while tensions were high, my siblings and I stayed here for an extended vacation. In that time, I had seen from afar a beautiful girl who worked in the bakery.” Mozu’s heart hastened as she finally knew what this was about. “Her name was…is Annabelle. Though I knew I couldn’t, I still wanted to pursue her.”

“S-so you did?”

He nodded. “Yes…and no. “I dressed as a peasant and gave her a false name.” A smile crept on his lips. “I snuck out nearly every night to see her. She was…vibrant. Fun. With her, I did things that a prince couldn’t.” Hearing that felt like a terrible stab to the heart for her.  His tone turned bitter.“But I was a fool. Along the way, I knew. I knew I couldn’t keep this lie.”

Right then and there, Mozu’s entire world stopped. In what kind of coincidence does the crown prince say exactly what her mind had been telling her all along? Oh Gods, she thought. What if he knows, what if this is a trick to-

No. It wasn’t. She could see the pain in his eyes and the way he left fingernail marks in his hands. This was no trick. “My deception broke both of our hearts when I ended things. I never told her who I was, but I suppose she just figured it out.” He groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I was a fool…such a fool!”

“Xander!” Her voice cracked as she put her hands on his arm and shoulder. “Stop...you’re not a fool. You’re someone who fell in love once and…” She hesitated even admitting it, “love makes you do things that you wouldn’t.”

“Regardless, I did more bad than good. I am a prince! I should have shown more restraint.”

She bit in the inside of her cheek again. “Xander,” she said, trying to calm her tone. “The gods…the gods make things happen for a reason. I am here for a reason.” And he had no clue the extend of it. “Annabelle was there years ago for a reason too. A-and maybe…just maybe!” She moved her hand over his chest, right over his heart. “Maybe you had to make some dumb mistakes to teach you some lessons. I’m sure you cut yourself with your sword the first time you used it! I hurt my fingers all over trying to string my first bow.” She took a big gulp of air but Xander cut her off.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and turned himself towards her as he pushed her chest against his. He grasped the hand on his heart and Mozu found herself breathless. Her red cheek rested against his shoulder and she felt like her heart would burst out of her chest. She pressed her palm against his and could feel the fast, but subtle beat of his own heart. “It’s okay, Sakura. You may be right indeed. Though Annabelle and I were brief, perhaps…” He took a deep breath. “Perhaps the lessons I learned will be timeless.” He tilted his head down to face her and she craned her neck slightly to meet him eye-to-eye. “I agree that the gods work in mysterious ways…and maybe…just maybe, they taught me the value of honesty and what dishonesty brings so I could be a better husband for you.”

A lump lodged in her throat as her vision blurred. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. “Y-you’re right,” she said, her voice wavering as she pressed her face against his chest. “You’re so right…”

At that moment, Mozu felt as if she were the worst human in the world. Xander did not deserve her dishonesty in the way Annabelle didn’t deserve his. _Gods, why. What do you hope to gain if I break his heart._

* * *

 Night in Nohr felt natural to Leo, more so than the day. During the hours of work, the sky was bleak, but not too bleak to light the lamps. It was cold, but not cold enough to wear a coat. At night, though, everything was perfect. The sky was dark enough to light the many lamps of the street and palace and there was just enough chill for a decent coat. It made sense to him, as Nohr drew its power from the Dusk Dragon and he was a prince of the dark. He felt comfortable in the night.

Comfortable enough to sit in a dimly lit lounging room with nothing but Cyrkesian throw pillows and a large, low cushioned mattress situated on the floor so the loungers could sit nearly anywhere. He wasn’t alone. He had invited handmaiden Mozu to sit and drink some wine and water with him. For a handmaiden, she was fascinating, and he enjoyed their conversations. As he lied back and faced the ceiling, he laughed at the story she told him, sitting against the wall surrounded by pillows. “A-and then…” She laughed mid-speech, as per the effects of the diluted wine. “The queen realizes that she left Hinoka atop the mountain!” Another round of laughter from them both as Leo paused to tip his bottle up and grant himself some more wine. Mozu giggled, trying to get the next part of the story out. “S-so…so she says ‘I was wondering why the Pegasus kept wanting to return!’” Leo laughed with her again until she ended up snorting among her laugh. Mozu gasped and covered her mouth in embarrassment. “Oh-oh, I am so sorry!”

“What? Oh, hah!” He sat up with a groan, opening the first two buttons of his shirt. “Who cares.”

“I do,” she said with a little whine. “I bet you don’t snort.”

“Of course not,” he said, swishing around the bottle. “Aye’m a prince.”

“A prince having a drink with a handmaiden,” she said, pouring herself some wine into her cup. “I bet you don’t do this often,”

“You’re a betting woman tonight,” he said, lying on a stack of pillows. “You enjoy money games after a couple of swigs?”

“Mm.” She winced, taking another sip and shaking her head. “That definitely needs more water.” She poured water into her cup as Leo laughed again.

“I don’t understand how you’re drunk when you’re drinking nothing but water,”

“I’m not drunk!” she said in a high-pitched voice.

Leo covered his mouth to hold back an impolite belch. “Your face is almost as red as your hair.”

Mozu pouted at him and took a large gulp of water and wine. She coughed a little as Leo snickered, taking another swig. He took a look at the bottle and tried to remember the last time he felt this merry. Had to have been that big royal-retainer party where Niles and Odin…oh gods…what they did to that pig. He remembered Xander almost broke his hand when they arm-wrestled and Niles just shoved more mead down his throat to “make him feel better.” Camilla’s retainer Selena had spouted profanities that Leo had never heard before. Camilla herself had drank a ton, but damn could she hold her liquor. The earful Father gave them the next day was long and arduous, but worth it.

He looked at Mozu slowly drinking from her cup and figured this was much tamer than last time. He was also less likely to break his arm. She spoke softly. “Do you come to this room often?”

“Hm? Nah,” he said, sitting up. “Kind of pathetic to be here by yourself.”

“It’s so comfy…the whole room is a bed.” She set her cup down and fell forward on her stomach. “I could sleep here.”

“Feel free to,” he said, rubbing his eyes from exhaustion.

“I will…” She sighed as she kicked her feet a little. “I don’t think the other servants like me.”

“Why’s that?” he asked, downing the last of the wine.

Mozu sighed. “Ever since I started studying with you, I guess.” She reached for her cup to take a sip before she let out a small “Mhm!” and pulled her cup away. “One girl thought I was trying to be a concubine!”

“Mmm…” Leo sat up, running his fingers through his now messy hair. “Xander and I saw how concubines can quite literally tear a family apart. We’re not going to deal with that nonsense.”

“Good for you,” she said. “So…Milord, speaking of concubines, do you know anything about your fiancée?”

He groaned. “Her name is Flora. She’s from the Ice Tribe. That’s…about it.” He had an idea of what she might have looked like. He assumed pale, fair skin with icy eyes. Probably safe to assume she had fair hair as well. Kilma promised beauty, but beauty meant nothing if she would be as cold as her tribe. Leo was much too cold himself. Of course, at the present moment, the wine had spiked his body temperature to knock off another button in his shirt. It had also deterred his better judgement to keep decent around the handmaiden. “I highly doubt you would know anything?”

“Not at all,” she said, kicking her feet again. “Wh-who knows. Maybe you two will hit it off like Xander and…and Sakura.”

“I believe that was dumb luck,” he said. “That, or the both of them have such patriotism towards their countries that they simply believe they like each other.” Mozu shot him a look of horror and worry and Leo snickered. “My apologies. Too cynical?”

“You don’t actually think that.”

He paused and turned to look at the ceiling. “You’re right. I don’t.” He smirked. “Think you know me so well?”

“Mmm…” She crawled a little closer. “If I do, then you know me equally as well.”

“Oh, I doubt that,” he said, turning on his side. “The more you do anything, I feel like the less I know.” Her cheeks turned red, a shade lighter than her hair. “You’re healing half of Windmire one moment and the next, you’re serenading them.” His eyes narrowed. “I feel like you’re more than just a handmaiden.”

“Wh-what defines a handmaiden for you?” she said, averting her eyes. “T-to me, it’s someone who cares for their mistress or master,”

“I’m not saying you don’t care for your lady. I’m simply stating that you do that and more.” Now the alcohol had him saying things he usually kept to himself. “You know you’re much more educated than a peasant would be?”

Again, she broke eye contact and focused on her empty cup. “I did spend a lot of time at the castle among educated people.” She turned to him. “I don’t…scare you, do I?”

Leo scoffed. “Scare me? If I let anyone smarter than me frighten me, then how would I ever learn?”

“Oh.” A confident smile crept on her lips. “You think I’m smarter than you?”

“I didn’t say that,” he said, sitting up. He knew he sounded offended and snooty, but again, the alcohol deterred his better posture and tone. “I was simply making a point that in order to learn knowledge and wisdom, one must be humble.”

“Hm.” She rested her chin on the palm of her hand. “Even after a bottle, you still speak eloquently.”

“If anything, I employ larger words to try to convince myself and others that I’m sober.” He gestured to the other bottle beside her. “Going to finish that?”

“Hmph.” She took it in her hands and swished it around. “There’s a bit left.”

“Half and half, then. And no water this time.” He handed her the cup he barely used as she, with a sigh, poured them equal portions. “To you, Mozu,” he said, lifting his cup. “For being someone that I could actually converse with as an intellectual equal,”

“And to you,” she said. “For being a prince not afraid to cross borders and help a pauper like I.” They clinked their cups together and tipped them up, downing the last few drops. Leo had no problem taking the swig, but when he was done, he could see Mozu using both hands to hold the cup. Finally, she coughed as she set the empty cup down. Leo laughed as he reached over to pat her back.

“Are you alright?”

“I-I’m great.” Her coughs transitioned into laughs as she shook her head. “Hey, Leo,” she said, her tone softening. “Can I ask you something?” He nodded. “After…after Sakura gets married, d-do you think we could still do this? S-still learn new things and help the people of Nohr?”

That sentence in itself sobered Leo enough to answer truthfully, but he took his time. Though, the wine made him say his thoughts rather than filter them like he usually did. “I like spending time with you,” he admitted. “And this will depend on how much your mistress will need you. N-not saying she’ll be bearing heirs anytime soon, but…” He paused briefly to see her eyes widen. “A-after that, it will depend on when I must finally marry Flora.” He sighed, definitely not looking forward to that point. “And at that time, it would be inappropriate for a married prince to spend a great deal of time with an unwed handmaiden.”

Mozu nodded softly, her expression calm yet somber. She set her up down and moved away the bottle of wine as she lied on her back again, holding a pillow between her arms. “You’re right,” she said. “I-I should…” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I should thank you, Milord.”

Leo’s eyes widened as he reached forward, his hand on her shoulder. “Mozu?...”

Her voice grew weak. “Y-you really taught me a lot a-and made me feel helpful.” She shook her head, sniffling at she wiped her eyes. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t want to…I don’t want to cry.”

He figured it was the wine once more. “Come now, it’s not like we won’t ever converse again. Even if we didn’t…even if we didn’t, I’m sure someone as clever as you would find the time to honor everything we did. You wouldn’t let it go to waste.” He sat up and rubbed her back to calm her enough to stop the tears. Finally, she turned to him and smiled. Despite her eyes being puffy and her cheeks dry, she still looked beautiful as the dim lamp lights reflected on her fair skin and pink cheeks, her hair framing her face.

She leaned forward a little and Leo’s heart raced. His chest felt tight even in his loose shirt. Was that her signal? He leaned forward too, just a smidge. She did too. If they both moved inches towards each other, they would, their lips would…

Leo chuckled, putting his hand on her shoulder. He pulled away, thankfully, and turned his head. “Gods…” he breathed, rubbing his face. “You and I…we’re too-“

“R-right, right!” she said, scooting away. “I…uh…”

Before Leo could reply, there was a knock at the door. With a groan, he lifted himself off the comfort of the mattress and walked across the room to the door. Gods, he was too drunk to deal with anything. He opened it, quickly saying, “What is it?” in a not so friendly tone.

At the door was his long-gone tall and dark retainer, Niles. Instead of replying to Leo, he looked past him to see the handmaiden on the floor surrounded by pillows. Leo pinched the bridge of his nose, waiting for the impending teasing. “Oooh,” he started. “What’s going on here?” He leaned forward and took a whiff. “You’ve been drinking, Milord? With an innocent handmaiden? Tsk, tsk! Naughty, nau-“

Leo shut the door behind him to spare Mozu from any embarrassment. “What do you want?”

Niles pulled Leo away from the door and spoke in a hushed tone. “I succeeded.” Leo’s eyes widened as she straightened his posture, crossing his arms.

"Gods, no..." he said. "I'm drunk, Niles, so-"

“According to travelers and Hoshidan smugglers, Princess Sakura possesses pink hair. Not brown.” He gestured to the door. “And if I’m a betting man…”

“Oh…shit.” Leo groaned as he leaned against the wall, rubbing his face. “Son of a-“

* * *

 The real Mozu slowly walked up to Xander, watching him kiss the head of his horse. “Oh, Algol,” he said, petting her mane, “I missed you.” The horse pressed her head against his hand as she trotted in place, definitely eager. Once Mozu was close enough, she reached out to pet the horse as well. Thankfully, Algol didn’t seem to have any qualms with Mozu touching her anymore. “I hope you don’t mind roughing it out in the woods,”

“Oh, no,” she said. “I’m used to the outdoors. It’s nice to be around nature every now and then anyway, don’t ya think?”

“Very true. Will you need my assis-“ Mozu put her foot in the spurs and lifted herself up on the horse. “…Never mind.” She giggled behind her hand as Xander mounted himself as well. He turned Algol around and ordered their party to follow him as he kicked the horse’s sides.

A couple of days had passed since she and Xander talked on that fountain. They probably spent about two days apart before either had the courage to talk about it. Not much was said and Mozu thought they both realized it might not have been as big a deal as they thought. Xander could plainly talk about the small dates he went on and even though she showed no contempt, her heart wrenched inside her chest. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought herself to be jealous. For many reasons, Mozu knew she couldn’t be jealous since that would imply a bunch of other things that were certainly not true.

Maybe she was jealous, but only because she wouldn’t have a love like that with anyone. Who wouldn’t want to jump in a lake with all of their clothes or nearly burn down the bakery trying to make bread? That had to have been it because she wasn’t jealous of _Xander_ having these experiences with someone whom he was well over by now.

Around the time of dusk where the sky turned gold, the party stopped in the woods to set up camp in a small clearing, surrounded by trees. The horses except for Algol were tied to trees as the retainers worked to set up the tents. As Mozu helped Peri take out the cauldron and boxes of ingredients, she asked what she planned to make. “My wonderful beef stew!” she said with a cheery smile. “We’ll need some firewood.”

“Allow me,” Xander said as all eyes turned to him.

“Milord,” Laslow said, setting down the trunk he carried. “Would you like one of us to accompany you?”

“Not at all,” he said, mounting Algol. “You are busy enough as it here. I won’t be long.” He took the horse with him and disappeared behind the trees, leaving Mozu with a hint of worry.

“Will he be okay?” she asked.

“Of course!” said Peri as she opened up the box. “Now let’s see…” Figuring she was occupied, Mozu walked around the clearing as the other three retainers finished pitching the tents. Charlotte tossed her hair back and tip toed her way to Peri’s side to make conversation again. Once the tents were pitched, Laslow held up his hand but Benny, seemingly unaware of the gesture, left him hanging for a moment. For the first time, she noticed, she was left alone with everyone. Her mind sobered once again, threatening to delve into those thoughts of doubt and guilt. She sat on a rock towards the edge of the clearing, hoping to blend into the background.

Thankfully, she didn’t have a lot of time to her own thoughts as she heard footsteps crack the grass below them. “Milady?” She looked up and recognized Laslow standing over her. “Are you bored?”

“Oh…no, not at all,” she said. “Just…just thinking.” He sat next to her on the floor, arm over one of his knees.

“I’m all ears.”

“Y-you don’t have to. I’m sure my ramblings aren’t interesting to anyone.”

He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter if it’s interesting. Something’s bothering you.” He smiled to her. “I promise not to tell.”

“…Not even to Xander?”

He sucked in a little air between his teeth. “How about…I don’t say anything unless he explicitly asks?”

Mozu sighed, letting her head fall into the palms of her hands. “…Alright.” She lifted her head with a big gulp of air. “So…so I…” She had to choose her words carefully. “Lately, Xander and I have been talking about us, about each other. I-I’m learning so much about him but…but whenever I tell him something about me, I tell him really personal things! L-like when people ask for my favorite food, I usually say something like dumplings, but I told him it was eel!” She ran her fingers through her hair. “I told him my favorite color was green when it’s supposed to be red!”

“Why is it _supposed_ to be red?”

“Because it’s Hoshido’s colors!” Laslow shrugged.

“So…you’re concerned because you’re telling him the truth?”

“Yes!” she said. “Why do I keep telling him that when I could give him answers that a princess should? A princess shouldn’t love street side eel!”

“Calm down, calm down,” he said with a laugh. “You…you seriously can’t figure it out?” Mozu shook her head. “Milady, it’s simple. You,” and he pointed towards her, “like him. You have real feelings for him.”

Instantly, Mozu laughed. “Whaaat? But—we—I—“

“You have real feelings, and because of that, you want him to like the _real_ you. Sure, you might have prepared princess-like answers to please your queen and our king, and while you do like those colors and foods, you like green and eel more.” He spoke so calm and plain that it nearly freaked her out. “There isn’t a problem here, Milady. As far as Xander is concerned, I’m sure he’d prefer to know even the embarrassing things about you because you told him.” He leaned forward. “I’m sure he told you his real favorite food too,”

“You know?”

“You think he can trust Peri with late-night snack runs?” He chuckled. “See? At the end of the day, you are two people, not just a prince and princess.” He stood up. “Besides, have you forgotten of your engagement, Milady?” Slowly, Mozu shook her head. “Then my work here is done.” He turned on his heel and strolled away to see what the others were up to.

Meanwhile, Mozu had stayed right there on that rock, trying to calm herself before she panicked. Earlier today, she was denying it. That first night on Macarath, she was denying it. That wonderful night in Crykensia, she was denying it. Now, she couldn’t deny it, not when others could so plainly see otherwise. Her breath felt shallow and her entire body trembled as she stared at the ground. Now she knew that she wanted to be the one to jump in a lake with him, to laugh as he found himself covered in flour.

She glanced ahead to see the retainers distracted by their duties, and it was enough to slip away. She needed to be alone. Mozu slipped off her rock and moved past the carriage. Just as she was about to go into the trees, she back tracked to grab her bow and quiver. It was the forest after all.

Even though the outside temperature was cool, she felt chilly and wrapped her arms around herself. Each step grew harder with the dawning realization from that conversation. _You have real feelings_. She bit her lip hard enough to taste copper. _Real feelings_. Her heart banged against her chest. _For Xander_. It made sense; she hadn’t thought about Sakura’s well-being since Cyrkensia.

Oh, Sakura…she had all but forgotten about the real princess. She had become a thought in the back of her mind, suppressed like a bad memory. Of course Mozu was cruel enough to cast aside her friend and mistress as she fell for her fiancé…her _fiancé_! A groan escaped her throat. The hard question remained: did Xander like her back? And here, these last weeks, she prided herself on knowing him well enough. This whole situation was a big pile of horse dung.

Mozu looked up when she was quite far from the camp and realized she hadn’t kept track of where she went. Great. She looked to her nearest tree and deemed it stable enough to climb. For her, it took one or two tries from being quite rusty, but she made it to a good height. With no campfire, she would have to look or hear for the others. As she turned herself around to continue searching, she saw a dark figure in the distance. The way it bucked and jumped made it look like a horse. She squinted, making out the shape of a horse. “…Algol?” If it was, why was she so agitated? In that case, where was Xander? “Oh no…”

She leaped down to the ground and leapt into a sprint towards the direction of the horse. As she grew closer, she could hear the whinnying and braying of Algol. “I’m coming!” she cried out as she followed the sound to the patch of trees where the horse was tied to. Mozu skid to a stop as Algol trashed about, not letting her near. “Oh gods…” she said, taking a step. “Xander? Where’s Xander? He’s supposed to-“

In the distance, she heard a faint but clear cry of pain. “Xander!” She dashed in that direction until she could hear clearer sounds. Xander made cries of battle and of pain but Mozu had a hard time making out who or what his combatant was until she was close enough to see him in the distance. She gasped as she could plainly see him fighting off a large bear head on. Mozu knew he’d never win that way. The bear was bigger and stronger and didn’t abide by the rules of human combat. She couldn’t just stand there. Mozu steeled her resolve as she climbed onto the nearest tree. She swung between branches, trying to get a good flanking position behind the bear. As she drew closer, she saw the blotch of red on Xander’s side and noticed the stagger in his steps. Oh gods, he was already injured. She had to do this fast.

As she jumped from one branch to the other, she took the bow and loaded an arrow into its string. “Hey!” she yelled at the bear. In the split second it took to look at her, she let her arrow fly straight into its eye. As the blood spurted out, the bear growled in pain, pawing at its face. Mozu took the opportunity to jump onto another tree behind it. One…two…then three. She leaped off the tree and right onto the bear’s back, hearing Xander shout her false name. Without hesitation, she wrapped her legs around the bear, preparing for a wild ride as it trashed about, trying to shove the person and arrow off. She cried out when one paw barely scratched her cheek, meaning she had to be quick. Climbing up to its head, Mozu let out a loud cry as she grasped its head between her hands of steel. Focusing all of her might in her arms, she quickly twisted its neck. In a second, it dropped its paws and fell forward. Mozu sat on its back, breathing heavily as she wiped the sweat from her brow, her adrenaline leveling out. She looked forward at Xander clutching at the wound in his side along with various other cuts on his skin. She instantly got off the ground and ran over to him. “Xander! Oh gods…gods, are you okay?”

“Y-yes…thanks to you.” He groaned and winced, unable to stand up straight. “How…how in the world did you-?”

“Hoshido has bears too.” She slung his arm over her shoulder. “Go on, lean on me.” She adjusted herself as he shifted most of his weight on her to help him walk.

“I-I was careless…wasn’t aware of…”

“Sshh…” she said, walking him back to Algol. “We gotta get you back to camp first.” Each groan of pain made her wince as well. Algol was calmed as Xander was in sight. He couldn’t mount her, but he could lean on her better than he could hunched over Mozu. Thankfully, Xander had traced his steps and once they arrived back at camp, Mozu and Laslow carried him into his tent. Before the other retainers could barge in to assist, Laslow pushed them back out. Mozu thought she heard something about letting the two of them bond, but she was preoccupied with something else.

She set Xander on his makeshift mattress as he hissed in pain. Mozu didn’t know as much about first aid as Sakura did, but she figured she’d know a little more than the other retainers. Quickly, her fingers went to work to remove the armor from his chest and arms before revealing the white shirt underneath, the side of it completely stained red. She hesitated before telling him to lift his arms. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head, a soft groan escaping between his lips. “Gods…” she said, looking at the deep wound made by the claws. “C-can you lie on your other side?”

“Of course…” He did as she asked as she reached over to grab the basin and a small towel. Always clean it first, Sakura had once said. She squeezed the towel of any excess water before crawling over to wipe the blood off his chest, slowly growing closer to the wound. “My apologies…for making you-“

“Don’t say sorry,” she said. “I just want you to get better now.”

“What you did-agh!” He sucked in air between his teeth as she patted around the area of the wound. “Th-that was extraordinary.”

“You’ve never seen someone kill a bear like that?” she asked, carefully wiping around the claw marks.

Xander laughed between his hasty breaths. “N-not at all. At least, not that quick. Certainly not that gutsy either…” He was able to grit his teeth as she wiped directly over the wound now. “Thank goodness you were there, somehow.”

“Hm, you’re not going to question me…or it…?”

He smiled softly, speaking in a low tone. “You remember our conversation at the fountain.” She pulled the towel away to listen. “The gods make strange things happen for a reason. I can’t claim to know why or how…but someone else either than you might not have been able to...agh...”

“To what? To save you?” Mozu shook her head, squeezing the red water into the basin. “That’s crazy! I know a bunch of other people, your retainers, who could-“

“Yes, but _you_ did.” He sat up a little. “Somehow, _you_ found me. And for that…for that I owe you my life.” The very words sent butterflies in her stomach as joy flowed through her veins. She couldn’t argue with Xander’s logic at all because he was right. The gods somehow, for some reason, planned everything so _she_ , Mozu the pauper, could be the one to save Prince Xander’s life, either from the bear or from the wound it left behind. And maybe, the gods were the ones cruel enough to smite her with feelings for him to strengthen their bond. Whatever the case, it was pointless to fight them off now.

She dug out a healing salve from one of the trunks and applied it to his wound before wrapping the gauze around his torso. Every once in a while, he would wince when she tightened the bandages, but she assured him it was necessary. “Thank you, Sakura…” he said, running his fingers over the bandages.

“Don’t push yourself too hard, or you could reopen it,” she said, washing her hands with the leftover water.

“I’ll try not to.”

Once she finished drying her hands, she left to grab two bowls of Peri’s stew and bring them back to his tent. She helped Xander sit up so he could safely eat it. Once again, she found themselves delving into meaningless, yet engaging conversation. It started talking about the stew, then Peri, then their opinions on how chicken is best served. Xander claimed slow-roasted was best, but Mozu rebutted with the fact he never had their grilled chicken served with special Hoshidan sauce. Xander laughed at her, but stopped when he grabbed his side with a soft groan. Mozu frowned. “You’re still in pain?”

“It will pass.” He set his empty bowl down, rubbing his shoulder. “Thank you…I can imagine waiting on me isn’t great fun.”

“You’d be surprised!” she said, stacking their bowls and spoons. “Though, now you’ve proved to me that I absolutely need to cook for you more Hoshidan food! You’re missing out!”

“Oh, you can actually cook all of those things?” he asked, genuinely interested. “You must tell me more.”

“Tomorrow,” she said. “You need to rest.”

Xander paused as she sat up on her knees, preparing to leave his tent. Before she could, he reached for her hand. “Wait.” With baited breath, she did. “Stay with me for the night.” In that instant, Mozu felt the heat rise on her cheeks and the hairs stand on the back of her neck. Her chest felt tight in her tunic, and yet, she exuded calmness. In the end, she guessed that maybe this was one of those things she should just let happen. After all, she did have “real feelings” for him. It might be time to just accept it and milk it for what it’s worth.

"...Just staying, right?" she said. "Nothing of...no...?"

"Oh! No," he said shaking his head. "I don't believe lying next to me will get you in much trouble."

"...I think you're right about that." She closed the tent and cast off her boots, belt, and cape, taking out her hair as well. Then, she crawled over to the single lamp in the tent and blew on it, leaving her in complete darkness. “Ack!”

Xander laughed. “Can you find your way?” he asked as she crawled to him, following the sound of his voice.

“I got it.” She crawled until her hand hit his ankle, ushering another chuckle from him. She groaned as she found her spot next to him, feeling his hand. He pushed his hand up her arm onto her shoulder, gently pulling her close until her cheek hit his chest. She could feel his chest rising and falling, his steady heartbeat, the warmth from his skin. She thought she would feel embarrassed, but she felt the opposite: it felt right.

“Is it okay?” he asked, voice a little unsure.

“Better than okay,” she replied, closing her eyes. “Xander, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Do…do you think that we’re on the same page?” she asked, not moving from her position. “In…in terms of how we feel about each other?”

He paused, his hand on her back running up and down slowly. “That depends on how you feel,”

“But that’s the point of the question,” she said with a small laugh. “Is…whether you know it or not and if…if you feel the same way.”

He chuckled softly, chest bouncing once as he took a deep breath. “My simple answer is yes,”

“And the long answer?”

“...There is no long answer.”

“...I see.” She thanked the dark, for she had the widest grin on her face. “…Good night, Xander,”

“Good night, Sakura…”

Mozu could tell she was so much happier when she admitted her own feelings to herself. She knew that they had little time together and nothing good would come of it other than instant satisfaction. One part of her still held the guilt knowing that one day she would have to tell the truth and break both of their hearts, just as Xander had done. However, also like Xander had done, she would take part in every precious moment they had together.

 _Despite everything_ , she thought. _Despite everything that could happen to me after this…Xander, you made it all worth it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL that was a whirlwind. I hope you enjoyed. Once again, thanks for all of the kudos and bookmarks! We broke 2000+ hits which exceeded my expectations so far! A quick update: I will be updating my Overwatch fic before I update this, but both chapters are already in progress, so only expect a slight delay. Thank you so much.


	11. Scorned Betrayals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brace yourselves. You got your warning for this 18 page chapter. This and the next chapter are going to be the feelsy ones, I'm telling you now. As always, I always seem to upload in the middle of the night :U  
> As always, thank you SO SO MUCH for the kudos and views! I can't believe how many people support me, and honestly, I wouldn't have gotten this far if it were not for you. Please enjoy!

**Scorned Betrayals**

 

The morning after felt like a surreal dream that she had yet to wake from. Her body and heart never felt more at rest, more relaxed. She could barely feel the tips of her fingers when she lifted her head and the first sense that came to her was smell. Most prominent was Xander’s scent: he had the overall male musky smell, but he also had an underlying mask of the shampoos and body oils that he used. He smelled simple, with only hints of citrus and honey. As she gained more control of her body, she raised herself a little to look at the sleeping prince under and before her. Xander slept with his arms flayed and his jaw slacked. Occasionally, he made soft, almost inaudible snores as his chest slowly rose and fell. Said chest also had some red imprints where Mozu rested her head that night. The entire view made her giggle; to her, Xander looked like the most normal man when he slept. She sat up completely and stretched her arms. The morning had barely crept, and the night mist still lingered in the early hours. She still woke at dawn from her days as a farmer and it was a habit that was not easily broken. Perhaps, on the account of his injury, the retainers would let them sleep in. She didn’t mind spending an extra hour with her eyes closed. Though, she figured it best to take off the tunic. She had worn a camisole underwear underneath and it was modest enough to serve as nightclothes.

Carefully, she slipped out of the tunic and straightened the camisole, noting that it wasn’t as white as it used to be. Definitely needed a scrub. She suddenly heard rustling that wasn’t her own and turned to see Xander’s legs shifting. He put a hand on his chest and groaned a little before he spoke, his voice raspy from lack of drink in the past couple of hours. “Why are you awake?”

She suddenly wondered if she was too immodest and if not properly wearing any nightclothes was suddenly inappropriate. She reached for the sheet that they barely used and held it against her chest. “Ah…ah…I-I’m sorry if I waked you.”

With a deep inhale, he sat up on his elbows, his eyes droopy and his smile lazy. He looked at her for a moment, expression unchanging. “Are you coming back?” Mozu looked down at herself quickly before facing him, thinking that her attire wasn’t all that bad after all. She slowly let the arms holding the sheet fall to her knees and saw that he didn’t seem to mind at all. She nodded and crawled back to him, lying her head where his shoulder met his chest. The warmth of joy passed over her as he curled an arm around her. “Did I wake you?”

“Nope,” she replied. “Force of habit. I always get up around this time.”

“Is that a custom in Hoshido?” At this point, she could hear him falling back asleep.

“You could say that.” Her eyes trailed down his chest and found the bandages around his waist. They only had small patches of pink meaning his bleeding stopped soon. “Does it still hurt?”

“A bit. I don’t feel it as much.”

“Really? I didn’t realize the salve was that good.”

“It’s not the salve,” he said, yawning right after. “Time heals all wounds, but there is another medicine.” He shifted so he could see her face. “One that cures all pain.”

“And that is?...”

“Happiness.” The arm around her tightened. “Joy, even.” Though his words slurred earlier, he spoke perfectly clear now. By now, she had really come to appreciate how easily Xander showed his affection in his words. Ah, it felt so good to know he felt near or exactly the same for her. She didn’t care much if they were on the same exact page, but they had _something_. More than she ever thought she would have.

If only this trip could last longer. If only this _morning_ could last. Each time she thought of them together, she would suddenly be reminded of its mortality. Oh, not now, she thought. _I know, I know it won’t last forever. I just need this little bit of time before we go back._ In her memory, she had never connected like this with someone before, not even with someone in her village or Shirasagi. She and Xander couldn’t come from more different worlds, from more different lives for them to come together like this. Though, she knew it wasn’t perfect, not in the slightest. She had yet to learn of the prince’s drawbacks and he of hers, and she knew it would probably be in a matter of time.

Mozu knew her worst drawback: she wasn’t Sakura. It’s enough to not even consider the others. And what was Xander’s? She tilted her head up to see he had fallen back asleep. His was that he thought she was Sakura and probably only tried as hard as he did because of that. For so long, she told herself that he did many things for Mozu because she was Mozu, not because he would have done the same for the real Sakura. The necklace stood out as the only exception and her only proof. This veil of happiness only masked the ugly truth that only she knew. Such lamenting thoughts lulled her to sleep for another hour or so.

Once again, her eyes fluttered open and the day seemed much warmer than the cold dawn. Her cheek felt squished against his chest as his arm’s grip had slackened around her waist. His chest rose and fell as he was still under the influence of sleep. Mozu lifted her head up and felt a wetness at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes grew in size as she wiped it off, then noticing a coin-sized pool of it on his chest. With a soft gasp, she lifted her camisole and softly dabbed it onto his chest, trying not to wake him as she dried him. Goodness, imagine the embarrassment if Xander had awoken first. The movement stirred him and he shifted, turning onto his wounded side. Mozu tried to stop him, but a wincing pain awoke him first. “Hey, wait!”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” he said sitting up, clutching his side. He took a couple of staggered breaths as she crawled over, taking his hand away to check to see if he bled. Thankfully, he wasn’t, and he seemed fine. Mozu helped him ease by rubbing his shoulder. “M-my apologies…”

“For what?” she said. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” She tried to perk him with a small smile. “Good morning…again,”

“Again? Ah, yes.” He chuckled.

“I almost couldn’t believe it,” she said. “You were so poetic…”

“I was? Oh…yes…” He turned his head, a little sheepish. “Oh, speaking of which. I nearly forgot.” He scooted back and reached into his knapsack. Mozu’s eyes saw him pull out another folded piece of paper being presented to her.

“Oh! Is this?...” She giddily took it and opened it up. Ever since the dull rose poem, Mozu had not forgotten of Xander’s somewhat lack of talent, but she enjoyed each word anyway, either because she was a simple country girl or because he was the one who wrote them. He had created another poem, it seemed. She could see the little scribbles where he had cut words and the small smudges of ink prints on the edges. Yet, his handwriting was as neat and precise as before.

_Hoshido_

_Plentiful, Light_

_Shining, Dancing, Harvesting_

_East, Sunny, Cloudy, West_

_Struggling, Surviving, Conquering_

_Dark, Bare_

_Nohr_

Mozu read it again twice before setting it in her lap with a soft “wow.” She looked up at Xander, who had steeled a face, perhaps preparing for criticism. Though, someone like him would appreciate it. “You wrote a poem about the two kingdoms?”

“Our two kingdoms.” Right. “I kind of thought they could, in a way, represent us…?”

She puffed her cheeks to hold back her laugh. “Oh…so you think I’m playful and light?”

“W-well…”

“I hope you’re not calling yourself dark and bare.”

“I-I suppose that was a flimsy excuse to make it more relatable.” Mozu pressed her lips and eyes into a look of pity, trying to stay neutral, but it wasn’t working. “…It’s…not relatable?”

“Xander, listen…”

“Sakura,” he said. “Please be honest with me. You know, I was afraid to show anyone my writing, not out of fear that it was bad, but out of fear that no one would tell me.” Mozu had never considered that people would be soft on him because he was the prince. He wondered if his brother would have coddled him too. Well, not her. Mozu only coddled one person and that was Sakura herself.

“Xander,” she said, trying to remain firm, “It’s not that it’s not relatable. It’s…predictable!” He blinked in surprise. “I mean…” she showed him the paper. “Everyone knows these things about Nohr and Hoshido. It’s obvious that one kingdom is light and one is dark.”

“Wow…” he said, looking it over as he took the paper from her hands, rereading his writing. “I…don’t think I considered that.”

“I think you were trying to relate to the people of both,” she said, putting her hand on his shoulder. “So you wrote something that they could understand.”

“Indeed…but you are right,” he said with a sigh. “In my efforts to reach out, I became dull. To think our populace could only understand simple words and ideas is an insult in itself.” He hung his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. Just as quickly, he looked back up to her. “Sakura, what do you suppose I should do?”

“Do? T-to fix it?” She stuttered for a moment before gently taking the poem and reading it over again. She didn’t know horse plop about writing beautiful poems, not like Sakura might have. Anything artistic she left to the artisans and nobility; she was too busy farming their food. So, she said the first thing that came to mind. “Why not make it less predictable?”

“…In what sense?”

Crap. “Ah, well…” she read it over again, as if it would help her. “M-maybe…w-well you want to talk about the two kingdoms a-and how…how they’re different, right?” He nodded. “Well…uhm…hrm…ah! Since you’re the prince, maybe you should write what Nohr means to you!”

“Pardon, but, I thought I was already being accurate?”

“No, no,” she said, scooting next to him. “You’re writing Nohr as a bleak and dark place that everyone knows it to be. But you and I know it’s more than that.” She opened his palms and put the poem there, her hand lingering over his. “You have to think of the beautiful things. Like the night in Cyrkensia.”

“Yes, indeed…” he said, his voice soft. “I-I suppose I am reminded of the lights, most of all,”

“What do you think the lights could mean?”

Xander paused, pursing his lips as he concentrated on his answer. Mozu waited until he finally lifted his head. “Hope.”

“Hope?” She blinked in surprise.

“Yes,” he said, not looking away from her. “With this treaty, the Nohrian people have a new hope. With more food and resources from Hoshido, they can struggle less.” He smiled and squeezed her hand. “Hoshido has brought some of its light into Nohr.” By the look in his eyes, Mozu figured that he stopped talking about the treaty with that last sentence. He was sneaky about it too because it could fit easily with his previous words, but with her, it meant something different. Happiness swelled within her heart as it dawned on her that she was perhaps the light that he was talking about. What? No, it was stupid and selfish to think that she was this wonderful light. Of course it was. She broke eye contact with him, turning her head to look at the paper. Instead, his hand brushed by her cheek and his fingers gently pushed under her chin. She found herself staring, entranced by his violet eyes as her heart beat madly. He leaned forward an inch, eyes not breaking contact as she parted her lips.

Oh, Gods… He came closer and she found herself doing the same. He wants to… Her eyes went half-lidded and she could hear him breathing. And I want to…

A sudden pang of guilt washed over her as soon as their foreheads nearly touched. A staggering gasp left her throat as she pulled her head away and gaped at him, a look of fear and worry on her face. She clutched her chest, feeling like two different entities argued inside of her body. One begged with desire to kiss Xander, to affirm their feelings. The other harrowed her with reminders of her deception, of the lies she did not tell him. They fought so hard that she almost wanted to cry. Xander pulled himself away, his expression worrisome and fearful as well. “Sakura, I…” He sounded vulnerable, almost, and pained. “I-I’m sorry. I did not mean to-“

“No,” her voice choked. “I-I know you didn’t. I just...it’s me.” She felt as if she would suffocate. “I-I really…I wanted to! B-but I…I’m…”

“Shh…it’s alright,” he said, his voice turning soft. “I would not want to push you into something you’re not ready to do.” He raised his hand to reach her, but set it down as quickly.

Out of all the thing she could do, Mozu laughed, perhaps as a way to conceal her true emotions. “I-I guess…I guess I’m just still new at this.” She lifted her head, her heart calming down a tad. She knew the only reason she couldn’t was this terrible lie that she was living. As long as he falsely called her Sakura, she wouldn’t allow herself to deceive him further. “If you could…give me a bit of time?”

“Oh, yes, yes of course!” he said. “We have all of the time in the world.”

Except they didn’t, and yet, Mozu was strangely okay with it for the time being. She knew this meant she would never kiss him, for why would a prince kiss a pauper. At the same time, if some miracle happened and he would grace her with one, she would want it while he called her “Mozu.” Still, that was a long shot and sure to never happen. Sleeping beside him was as close to the dream as she could get to, and though she longed for more, some part of her told her that even waking up with him was enough for her.

* * *

 

Leo had never felt more fucked in his entire life. Okay, a couple of other times, but this was certainly up there. It had been, what, a couple of days since he found out. Of course, he needed core concrete proof from the supposed Sakura herself, and that is what consumed his hours. So far, only Niles and he knew. He feared Odin’s loose tongue would spread rumors in less than day. He had employed the thief to watch the “princess” and make sure she came into no trouble, just in case. Currently, he studied the original marriage contract from Hoshido that had Sakura’s handwriting within the sentence: “I hereby agree to all matters in this contract and pledge my hand in marriage towards this treaty.” Accompanied after was her signature, but he knew that at this time, he wouldn’t recover any fresh signatures with that name. That is why he sent Niles to politely ask her for the list of herbs she could use at the clinic (and gods forbid if she goes back anytime soon), thinking he could compare her handwriting no problem. If he could, then the next step would be confrontation. Gods, this was a delicate situation. Presently, he didn’t know if Queen Mikoto was in on this either and-

He rubbed his temples again with a loud groan. That stupid letter she sent ended up in the hands of the real Sakura. He even said the words “self-fulfilling prophecy,” what if he did just that? It made sense for her to have doubts now if she wasn’t spending any goddamn time with her fiancé because he was off cruising with, he assumed, the real Mozu. After all, it seemed like a two-way switch. Though Leo made a lot of sense, he knew these were just theories; the only way was to get Sakura to confirm her identity and explain everything. That is, if she would be truthful. So far, it seemed as if her identity was the only lie she concocted, but again…

He needed a drink. Speaking of drink, his mind kept wandering towards that fateful night in the lounge room, how heated his face felt as he leaned into her, and her to him, how they almost… Another round of loud groaning and face rubbing. That was his brother’s, the future king’s, fiancée. The future queen! And _he_ almost kissed her. The good thing was that he didn’t, and he had to keep that in mind. He stopped it before it could happen, but…it almost happened. She leaned in too, if he recalled, but…perhaps it’s best to blame this one on the alcohol and never tell Xander.

A knock at his door startled him as Niles let himself in. “Milord,” he said casually as he strolled in. Leo straightened himself up as Niles presented him a folded piece of paper. “Got the list. And two letters by wyvern.” Niles handed him the two letters, sealed with the purple wax and sigil of Nohrian Royalty. “This one came from Cheve, and this one from Dragonfall.”

“So from Father and Xander respectively,” Leo said, taking Xander’s letter first. “Hopefully this one has the worst news of both.” He opened it and pulled out the letter, recognizing Xander’s fine print.

_Dear Leo,_

_I cannot tell you how wonderful this trip has been around our fair kingdom. Each day, I believe Sakura has come to love it more and more. She said the hot springs reminded her of home and that the Cyrkensian opera house astounded her for days. I took your advice and made the two earrings into a necklace. She loves it and wears it each day, even with her traveling clothes. I must say, I was afraid of the unlikely event that a brigand would steal it, but she has more than proved her strength to me the other day. There I was, I had wandered too far into the forest and met with a feral bear, about ready to end my life. Then, from the trees, she shot an arrow into its eye and mounted its head like no hunter I had ever seen before. With her two small hands, she broke the bear’s neck. It was really a sight to behold._

_She will make a great queen. She is honest and brave, and unlike any princess or noble I have met. I don’t want anyone else by my side when I take the crown._

Leo’s heart sank.

_We have been traveling slow, on the account of my injury. Worry not, as it has been cleaned and wrapped by Sakura herself. I am writing to you now from Dragonfall and when you receive this, we should be back home in the next day._

_As I said to her, Hoshido has greatly shared its light with Nohr. Happiness will come to our kingdom and myself._

_Prince Xander of Nohr._

“Perfect. Juuust perfect.” He wanted to crumple the letter and toss it in the fire. “What a mess this has become.”

“Why are you so worried, Milord?”

Leo tossed the letter aside and reached for Garon’s letter. “A lot of things…” He paused. “Xander’s old habits die hard, I suppose. Once again, it seems he’s fallen for a girl and is blind to the consequences.”

“Awe, c’mon,” Niles said, picking up the letter. “It’s out of his hands this time and…hm…she snapped a bear’s neck with her bare hands? Haha...'bear hands'...”

Leo scoffed, taking a look at Garon’s letter. “No kidding. I’ve never met or read a princess who could do _that_.”

_To my sons, Xander and Leo_

_Your father writes to you after commencing the peace accords in Cheve. The Loyalists have assisted us in securing the government and they can search for the remaining ants of the rebellion by themselves. I am unsure if this letter will reach Xander in time, but hopefully, he should be home before me. We depart in the morning and I expect to arrive back home in a week’s time. Camilla and Elise return home as heroes and respected princesses of our royal family. Once I arrive, I would like to resume planning the wedding immediately. The sooner this contract is fulfilled, the sooner Nohr can reap the benefits. And the sooner I can expect heirs!_

_Your father, King Garon of Nohr._

“Shit,” Leo said, his hands caking with sweat. “Father returns in a week…and Xander tomorrow! I’ve got to…I’ve got to…”

“Ah, you forgot one more thing. I’ve got the list you-“

Leo snatched the paper, opened it, and set it next to the contract. His eyes shifted back and forth between the words and the sentence, muttering under his breath. “It’s consistent, just how a royal is taught. Her I’s end in a curve, the foot of the h’s has a loop…” He sat back in his chair to look at the big picture. “Perfect match.”

“So what’s next, Milord?”

“What’s next is she must confirm it herself. However, there is nothing stopping her from lying,”

“Ah, yes. I sincerely hope an interrogation isn’t necessary,”

“Heavens no,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “But there are things royal blood cannot hide…things like--“ He stopped himself there, the answer clear to him now. Already, he had concocted a plan. “Niles,” he said standing, “prepare my horse. I will also need a small vial of sugar water,”

“Sugar water?”

“Yes,” he said. “And put it in the fanciest little vial we have. It needs to look important.”

About an hour or two into the afternoon, Leo waited for Sakura, whom he still had to call “Mozu” for the time being, at the gates of Krakenburg, beside his trusty Rasalas. He heard her footsteps hurrying towards him and turned to see that she was there, leaning over with her hands on her knees. She took hasty breaths as Leo put his hands on his hips, trying to contain himself from saying or doing anything. “G-good afternoon!” she said, standing straight, clutching the satchel at her side. “I-I’m so excited to go to the forest. Do…do you think we’ll find anything there?”

“I’m no expert myself,” he said. “Let’s hope that you can find something,”

“I’ll do my best.” She tilted her head up towards the horse, walking closer. “Awe…is this yours?”

“Her name is Rasalas,” Leo said, getting closer to pet her mane. “She doesn’t bite, not like Xander’s horse,” he said with a chuckle.

Sakura reached up to pet her too, talking to her as if she were a child. “There, there…what a beautiful horse.”

“Ahem, yes well, we should get going,” he said, pulling his hand away. She nodded and walked to her middle, looking at Leo as if asking for his permission. He gestured for her to continue as she put her foot in the stirrups and mounted the horse with ease. Huh. Best to not comment on that. Leo shrugged and mounted himself, sitting behind her as he took the reins. “Are you ready?” Sakura gripped her hands around the saddle and relaxed her shoulders against his chest. With her head beneath his nose, he couldn’t help but smell her hair, scented with sweet flowers. He shut his eyes and tried to get that image out of his head. No, no, he thought. Don’t you dare.

“I’m ready,” she said. Good. Perhaps the discomfort that came with riding would get his mind off of it. He kicked Rasalas’s sides and off they went, venturing towards the woods outside Windmire. He purposefully denied any escorts (not that he needed them) to leave the two alone. He wasn’t sure how Sakura would react. He did feel a twinge of guilt but he knew this was for the greater good. He only had a day or two to fix this scandal before Garon returned home, so he had no time to play games.

As they slowed to a trot to maneuver around the trees, Leo spoke. “I need your help with something first,” he said.

“Y-yes?”

“An experiment," he said. “I can guarantee there is no danger. It could potentially assist the Nohrian people.”

“Oh, of course!” she said with a bright smile. “What are we doing?”

Leo took them to a clearing with some grass, but what stood out was a long, dry pattern, like a snake. On the other side, he could very faintly see two dragon veins and their soft glow, one brown like the earth and one blue like the ocean. Once close enough, he dismounted Risalas, helping Sakura down as well. He could see in her eyes that she was looking at them. “I bet you’re wondering why you’re here, seeing as it just looks like a clearing.”

“Hm? Oh, oh yes!” she said, facing him again. “What is all of this dry land?”

“A small river that, without proper maintenance, will dry up.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the vial Niles had prepared him with. The outside was made of glass, hand-carved with an ornate seal. It cleverly masked the dull concoction inside. “I’m sure you’ve heard of dragon veins and how only select individuals can see them, much less harness their power.” Her face paled, but she nodded all the same, awaiting the rest of his explanation. “It would be beneficial if we could grant this power to chosen individuals and I believe I have found that secret.”

“Wh-what? H-how?”

“This vial has First Blood,” he said with a smile. “It’s very temporary, but I am positive that you could see the dragon vein behind me and even use it.”

“P-positive?...” she said, her thumbs twiddling. “Absolutely?”

“The blood of the first dragon does not lie.” He handed her the vial. “I promise it won’t taste bad at all.” He wondered if he was being too obvious about it, but Sakura took the vial anyway. Hopefully, she was thinking that because it was a guarantee, she would drink it, use the vein, and let Leo continue on his work. He watched with baited breath as she untwisted the top and slowly brought it to her pink lips. She tipped the vial up and swallowed the sugar water before closing the vial.

“Hm…sweeter than I thought.”

“See? I said it wouldn’t taste bad. Close your eyes.” She did as he asked as he moved behind her, pressing his hands on her shoulders. “Take a couple of deep breaths…” She did. “Okay…feel the power course through your veins. And now, open your eyes. Now, do you see them? There should be two…”

“Oh…oh, yes! Yes I see them!”

“What color are they?”

“Ahm…brown and blue.”

“Good.” He started walking her to the two veins and instructed her to stand in the blue one as he stood in the brown. Of course, he knew she knew exactly how it worked. He just needed to see it. “I’m going to hollow out the dry land with my vein, then you will fill it with water from yours.” With a deep breath, he inhaled the old dragon’s power and closed his eyes. Leo lifted his arm, energy swirling in his palm as a crackle of electricity formed in his hand. With a quick wave, he directed the energy to the dry land, pushing it into the grass to make a basin for the water. As the magic dissipated, he turned to Sakura, heart racing in anticipation.

He knew it would work. Bless her heart, though, because it seemed as if she was pretending that this was the first time. She copied his movements and allowed the energy to pool in her hand before she directed it to the land. In a flash, water flowed through the basin and the breath left Leo’s lungs. It was her. It was really her. As the vein calmed, she took a deep breath and clapped her hands. “I-I did it!”

Leo chuckled, walking towards her and clapping slowly. “I had no doubts that you could.”

“That First Blood must really work! I-I…imagine if you gave it to the townspeople and-“

“Do you know the history of the dragon veins?” he said, his tone rhetorical. “It’s not so important. The fact is, though, that only those of pure royal blood could harness the veins.”

Her expression paled as she swallowed thickly. “Y-yes…though, until now, right?”

Leo smirked. “Frankly, I see no difference.” He pulled out the vial and looked it over. “First Blood is viscous and tastes bitter.” He turned to her. “Tell me, how _did_ you use the dragon vein when I gave you water mixed with sugar…Princess Sakura?”

Sakura gasped, her eyes widening as she took a staggering step backward. The fear in her eyes sealed the deal and Leo couldn’t resist. Here, he could taste his victory, his suspicions all confirmed. He had played the princess like chess and she skipped into his trap. He followed her, harrowing her with words. “Don’t act so surprised. I’ve known for quite a while. And it all made sense: your education, your intelligence, your demeanor. Even your handwriting! I thought you were like no handmaiden I ever met, but that was because you weren’t one in the first place!”

“L-Leo, please!” His chest hit her open palms. He knew his scowling face looked menacing against her teary eyes.

“Do you have any idea-“

“Please…”

“What your scheme has done?”

“I-I didn’t-!”

“What consequences you have reaped?!”

“Stop it!” she cried loudly. “Stop it, stop it!” She pushed him away with a large shove that made him stagger back. Guilt panged through his chest when he heard a sob escape her as she covered her face. Perhaps he had taken his gloating too far. Adopting a softer voice, Leo reached out.

“S…Sakura?”

She lifted her tear-ridden face, eyes fraught with anger. She wiped her cheeks and took another step back. “This is what you brought me out here for?” Her voice grew in volume. “Just so you could trick me!?”

“I wouldn’t have had to if you didn’t start this-“

“Why couldn’t you have asked?”

“As if you’d tell me!” he retorted back, pointing his finger. “How was I supposed to trust you when you lied about who you were and I wasn’t even calling you by your real name?”

“B-because…” Her voice shied as she shrunk her body back. “Because everything else was true! I thought…” She sniffled and wiped more tears from her eyes. “I thought someone as smart as you could see that.”

Those words humbled him, strangely, and he was forced to recollect. She was right. Compassion for people’s well-beings is hard to fake and her wonderful mind was all too real. He could remember each conversation they had, how he had believed each word she said. Even now, she was still the gentle girl he had been teaching this entire time. Except now, he had upset her beyond measure. Why had he been acting so angry, so cocky? What Sakura had done, if it was really her idea, was inexcusable, but did it require such violent accusations?

Now Leo felt like the bad guy. His face softened to one of regret as his high shoulders relaxed. Softly, he said, “I’m so sorry…”

Sakura lifted her head, not as angry, but her eyes brimmed with determination. She wiped her tears on her arms now before looking at him. “Are you angry at me for deceiving you?”

“Yes.” His expression did not match his answer. “Though, I believe much of my anger resides in what I do not know, for I can’t fix the problem without knowing how it started.” Sakura’s face tightened, taking offence to that fact that he needed to clean up her mess. Though, she seemed to have acknowledged her situation, and she softened back. She nodded, but Leo could sense the reluctance from her. “You have to tell me who the fake Sakura is.”

She bit her lip, breaking eye contact. “I promised I’d protect her because this was my idea. Can you promise that too?”

“Honestly, I don’t know if I can.” He narrowed his eyes. “Impersonating royalty is high treason,”

“But it was _my_ idea!” she cried. “Punish _me_ for it!”

Leo grit his teeth, speaking through them. “It’s more complicated than that,” he said. “Do you realize that you are the ambassador of Hoshido, meant to bridge the gap between our two kingdoms? Your actions reflect those of your people and your queen!” Sakura’s face flushed with worry. “If Father found out before I did, he would be furious that his son almost married a false princess! Not to mention how it would look on Hoshido for allowing this-“

“I get it!” she said, shutting her eyes closed. “I get it…I get it…” She whimpered as she shook her head. “So…what’s going to happen now?”

“I will handle the castle staff to make the transition as discreetly and swiftly as possible. Tomorrow, you must convince the false Sakura-“

“Mozu,”

“Pardon?”

Sakura sighed, digging her nails into her arms. “My handmaiden, Mozu…she’s the one posing as me.” It didn’t come as much of a surprise to Leo, as it balanced out the equation. She was a peasant, just like the last one.

“Right. You’ll have to convince Mozu to break the news to Xander herself.”

She looked up. “Wh-what? Why her? W-wouldn’t it be much safer for you or me to…to tell him?”

His shoulders dropped. “I’m sorry,” he said, voice heavy. “It’s not a matter of ease. It’s…it’s too personal for either of us to tell him. It simply must be Mozu.”

Sakura took a step forward, her voice cautious. “…What aren’t you telling me, Leo?” Her voice dripped with distrust.

“I’m saying that because of you, Xander won’t be able to marry the woman he loves.”

* * *

 

As Mozu saw Krakenburg’s gates in the distance, a melancholy passed through her body. She wasn’t sure how much longer she had with him, but returning home was a reminder of its mortality. To think, in a month, she had gone from being friendly, to doubtful, to enamored, doubtful again and now…to bliss. She rested against his chest from atop the horse as one arm supported her sides, holding the reins. She wasn’t sure if they looked like a new couple, shying away from more intimate gestures, or an old one, confident in their feelings and showing it however they please. Though, it was strange to call them a couple since, well, they weren’t. At least, _she_ wasn’t really a part of it.

And this is how her daily thoughts went: from basking in joy only to be rudely awakened by the harsh truth.

Soon, they found themselves at the gate and Mozu sat up a little on Algol to look ahead. At least one good thing came out of this: she could tell Sakura all of the amazing things she saw and did, from the wyvern riding to the Cyrkensian show, to wrestling the bear. If anyone enjoyed her stories, Sakura did. She wondered how she occupied herself while she was gone.

“We’re home,” Xander said as the gates parted and let them in. He disembarked from Algol right after she did and stretched herself out. “How did you like our trip?”

“Oh, I would do it over again if I could,” she said with a wide grin. “Except the part where you got hurt…how does it feel?”

His hand ghosted over wound. “Better. It’s closing. Enough of that, though.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sure the both of us have to rest, but I’d like to see you before dinner. Would you care for a quick stroll in the courtyard?”

Mozu lifted an eyebrow, wondering if this was another surprise or not. Either way, she nodded eagerly. “I’d love it! I won’t be late, it’s a promise!” With that, the two departed, Mozu on her way to find Sakura as Xander returned Algol to her stable. She walked with a skip in her step to the small lounge room that she and Sakura had agreed to meet in long ago. She opened the door and saw Sakura waiting for her with no one else in sight. “Sakura!” she said, slamming the door and running up to her.

“Mozu-oh!” Mozu embraced the princess tightly and lifted her off the floor until she laughed. “Oh! I’m glad to see you to, oh…you’re…”

“Right, sorry.” She set her down. “Oh, gosh! I can’t even begin to tell you-“ She suddenly noticed the look of worry on her face. “…What is it? Did something?...”

Sakura took a deep breath and sighed, putting her hands on Mozu’s shoulders. “Mozu, I…it’s over.” She looked behind her shoulder, which in turn, made Mozu do the same. She gasped upon seeing someone stand on the back wall, hidden when she ran into the room. As he came closer, she recognized him as none other than Prince Leo. Fear struck her core as she took a step away from Sakura.

“So,” he said, his expression callous. “You’re the real Mozu? I suppose you should consider yourself lucky. Not many ladies have the chance to travel with the prince around Nohr.”

“M-Milord…” she stuttered, unsure what to say after being outted so fast, so easily. She whipped her head to Sakura, who looked on somberly.

He spoke to them like they were children. “Yes, well, we have no time for a lecture. I’ve already sent out word through the staff of your shenanigans,” he said. “I’m sure the news will reach the retainers soon.”

“What?!” Mozu said, aghast. “Wh-what about Xander?”

Leo lifted an eyebrow. “Your first thought is of him?” he said, tilting his head. “How fitting.”

“Let me,” Sakura said, her tone bitter. Mozu felt as if she could not breathe in her clothes anymore as Sakura put on the most serious face she had seen. She stood right before her, hands gripping her right under her shoulders like her life depended on it. “Mozu. We know…we know about you and Xander…together.”

She gasped. “Sakura, I promise, I never did anything to-!”

“It’s not that,” she said, silencing her with nothing but her tone. “I know how he feels about you, which is why…” She pressed her lips into a fine line. “You have to tell him. Tonight.”

Mozu opened her mouth to interject, but what could she say? She knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but for it to happen now… The only thing her heart wanted was more time, just a little more time. By the tension in the room, she knew neither of them were joking or lenient on the subject matter. It was happening tonight. She would break her’s and Xander’s heart tonight. The realization made her throat shut as hot tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She felt like she couldn’t breath as she held her hands against her chest. The only thing she could manage was a meek, “no…”

Leo took a step forward. “I’m sorry, Mozu, but-“

“I’ll handle this.” Even admist her crisis, Mozu had never heard such hostility from Sakura before. Leo seemed to know to step off, and he pulled himself away.

“Right…excuse me.” He left the room in a hurry and as soon as he closed the door, Mozu felt her restraint breaking as she choked up a sob. No, no, she didn’t want to do this. Not so soon…perhaps not ever. She wasn’t ready for it to happen. What would Xander do? Imagining his possible reactions made it all the more worse. Mozu couldn’t stand, so she crouched down, holding her arms as Sakura knelt down next to her, rubbing her back.

“S-Sakura…” she breathed out, watching her tears fall on the floor by her feet. “I can’t…I can’t!”

“I know,” she said, trying to calm her down. “Shhh…it’s okay.”

“I-I messed up.” She coughed out another sob, trying to wipe her tears. “He’s…he’s so amazing, Sakura. We did so much together.” She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. “H-he showed me his writing…and it was bad, but I loved it! H-he took m-me to this show and h-he told me things…” Now the tears wouldn’t stop. “I-I saved his life! W-we…were so close…” The memories of that magical morning pained her as she missed the warmth of his chest and arms. “I-I don’t wanna hurt him!”

“I know,” she said again. “I know you don’t…this is my fault, Mozu,” she said, trying to lift her head. “I-I’m so…so sorry that I made you do this,”

“Mhmhm!” Mozu shook her head. “I went, went along and…” She wiped some of her tears again. “I-If only…if only I was born _differently_. M-maybe I could have…could have been-“

“Stop.” Sakura put her hands on Mozu’s wet cheeks to make her look her in the eye. “Don’t think that. It’s because you were born the way you were and grew up the way you did that made Xander like you.” Her own expression turned for worse, her eyes glistening with future tears as her lip quivered. “A-and here I am, I didn’t do anything and I have to…” Mozu’s lip quivered too, anticipating the next word in her sentence. “If I could…I’d give him up for you.”

“You…it wouldn’t be right.” Mozu shook her head. “I-it’s okay, Sakura…” Her throat choked before she let out her next sentence. “I-I’ll do it. Tonight. At the courtyard.”

Sakura nodded, pushing some hair out of her face. “I’ll be waiting for you when it’s done…” She frowned and leaned in softly, pressing her delicate lips against her forehead. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry…” She wrapped her arms around her and Mozu did the same, burying her face in her chest. It seemed like eternity as she sat there, crying in the arms of her mistress as she in turn tried to hold back her tears. Everything happened so fast that Mozu had no time to consider what would happen after the fact. Maybe it was too painful to do so.

For the very last time, the two returned to the suite to outfit Mozu with a formal kimono. Nothing could be or was said between them as they assumed their fake roles for the last time. Mozu thought she would be frantic at this stage, but she found herself the opposite. She felt numbed by the pain in her heart, as if nothing else could be done to hurt her. There was no quick ripping off the bandages for this one. No, this was a slow, painful recovery, like cauterizing a wound. It will burn and burn, each second worse than the last until you pulled the fire away and were left with a brazen scar.

Sakura stepped in front of her, wearing one of Mozu’s old yukatas for the last time as well. She put her palm on Mozu’s cheek as the two faced each other. Mozu found nothing but pity in Sakura’s eyes as she kept her lips tight. It was time. They left the room without a word between them and made their way towards the halls leading to the courtyard. Along the way, they caught the eye of two maids in the corner holding a conversation. As soon as they noticed the two, the maids’ acted surprised and stopped talking at once. Mozu broke eye contact but she could feel their judgmental stares with each passing step. Word traveled fast around here and Mozu absently wondered if the other servants would be a problem to her. Probably the least of them.

Finally, they arrived at the entrance of the courtyard double doors and Mozu just stared blankly at it. Sakura put her hand on her shoulder, breaking her out of the trance. When Mozu turned back, Sakura attempted to give a reassuring nod. Unsurprisingly, it did not work. Mozu just walked away, mouth dry and head aching as she pulled on the door to open it. The nightly Nohrian breeze hit her face as she took a step down on the stairs. Her head felt numb until she walked forward and saw him.

Xander stood a couple of feet away from her, looking up at the trees that the courtyard surprisingly carried. He dressed a little more formal this time with a small cape draped over one shoulder and a more decorated coat. He smiled too, using only the corners of his mouth and softening the scowl on his brows. All at once, feeling rushed back to Mozu. Her heart accelerated and her head felt hot. She opened her mouth, but felt nothing but a lump lodged in her throat, making it difficult to breath. Yet, it was too late to run. He turned only his head towards her, expression unchanging. “Beautiful night,” he said, taking a step forward. “Isn’t it?” She could only nod. “Nohr is most beautiful at night. Our cloudy weather makes the day simply dull and gloomy. Yet.” He pointed up. “The clouds will always part for the moon. Except, of course, during the gods’ ire in which storms plague our land.”

“…How sad.”

“Nohrians are used to it,” he said, taking a step up on the stairs to look up at her. Gods, he had the most beautiful eyes and the most chiseled face that softened for her. If he saw any beauty in her, she would forever wonder just where he found it. Mozu’s face fell into a frown, her lips pressing into a thin line to stop them from shaking. Just when would she ever see him smile for her ever again? Suddenly, his expression turned to worry as he knit his brows together, smile fading. “…Is something wrong?”

“Wh...wha?” Mozu tried to push back the lump in her throat. “Y-you can tell?”

“Of course I can,” he said, taking another step. “You look devastated. Tell me, please, what troubles you?”

She felt her entire body quake as she used her last remaining strength to fight back the tears. “I-It’s hard…f-for me to t-tell you,”

“Then don’t,” he said softly, putting his hands on her shoulders. He squeezed them gently, trying to bring some comfort. “I told you, I can wait for you to tell me what ails-“

“This can’t wait!” she cried. Gods, she couldn’t believe she yelled. Xander was taken aback by her outburst and took a step back. “I…I am so, so sorry,”

“Sakura…” For the first time, hearing him call her that staked a dagger through her heart. She could feel her eyes growing hot. “I-I have to admit, this is rather…frightening.”

“I-I know…” she said, hanging her head. “A-and it’s scary…I-I need to tell you.” She lifted her head up, hugging her arms. “Y…you should sit down.” Xander closed his parted lips, and after a moment of hesitation, he nodded once and turned around. He did not say a word as he brought them deeper into the courtyard, passing through the vines and shrubs of dark flowers. On any other night, she would appreciate the beauty of Nohr's rare flora, but now, she half-wondered of what Xander was thinking right now. She tried to gather what she was going to say, but her thoughts were all over the place. After all, she couldn’t avoid breaking their hearts. And yet, some sliver of her had an insane fantasy that Xander would just laugh. He would laugh and tell her it did not matter and they could continue on with their happiness.

What a fool she was.

Finally, they came to the center were a marble bench stood, overlooking the rest of the courtyard’s bushes of flowers and trees. With a deep sigh, Xander took a seat and looked up at her. Well. It was time. Any planning that she had done seconds before just vanished and she was left with her gut. “You should know…you have to know that I have never felt like this for someone before. Nothing made me happier than…than that morning in the forest,”

“Sakura,” he said, “I-I feel the same way, but I don’t see the problem here.” She fell silent. “Listen. I will be the future king, and with it, come infinite possibilities. Anything that worries you, I can fix. I promise that there is a solution to everything-“

“Not this one,” she said, taking a step back as he stood.

“What do you mean?”

“I-I mean you can’t fix this!”

“Please,” he said, his tone more demanding. “Don’t you think you’re being a little unreasonable? Sakura, If you would just-“

“I am not Sakura!” she cried, loud enough for it to echo.

And just like that, silence filled the air to the point where you could cut it. Mozu felt her heart drop in an instant as Xander slumped his shoulders, his expression puzzled. She turned ninety-degrees, trying to hold back her staggering, panicky breaths. She gripped onto her arms so tightly, her entire nervous system feeling like bugs crawling.

“…Wh-what?” Xander said.

“I’m…” She shut her eyes, feeling the tears escape her. “I’m…not…Princess Sakura.”

Xander half-laughed, half-scoffed. “What? No, that’s…that’s impossible, you…”

“My name is Mozu,” she said, daring to turn back to him. “I-I…I’m Princess Sakura’s handmaiden.” She breathlessly waited for him to say something, to move, but he did none of the sort. She wiped some tears from her face, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. Still, Xander did nothing but scowl, his eyes piercing into her very being. “W…we didn’t mean for th-this t-to go so far…” Xander’s chest expanded as he breathed in through his nostrils, his scowl like steel and she was whom the blade would cut. “I-I can explain if-“

He said one word, his tone tranquil, yet deep. “Leave.” He turned around and took fast hulking steps towards the entrance.

Without thinking, Mozu hiked up her kimono skirt and ran after. “W-wait!”

“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say!”

Just hearing that made her stop in her tracks. Never before she had heard such a harsh, pained tone from him. Yet, some part of her proved relentless, and she followed. “Just listen!” she cried after. “Th-the time we spent together, that was real!” She almost tripped on one of the stones, cutting her off. Still, Xander walked and she followed. “Can’t you remember? You were there!” She wiped some more tears that obstructed her vision. “You can’t pretend it didn’t happen! We…we were happy!”

“I ordered you to leave,” he said as they neared the entrance.

Mozu frowned, following him up the stairs. “Just like that? You’re going to order me around just because I told you-“

“Yes, I am!” he bellowed, turning around. His once calm, smiling visage had manifested into one of rage. “All of this time, you led me to believe a lie! You played me for a fool!”

Mozu shrunk back for a moment before clenching her teeth, fighting back. “It wasn’t like that!”

“And now, you dare speak to me? Retort back to me?” He raised his voice high enough to really scare her this time, nearly enough to push her down the stairs. He spoke calmer, but the anger in his voice did not subside. “You betrayed me.”

“I-“ her voice cracked. “I really…really didn’t want-“

“Enough of this,” he said, turning around. He pushed the doors open in a flurry. “I never-“ He stopped, so Mozu looked behind him and recognized royal guards. Her nerves flared as her hands shook. “Guards?”

“Good evening, Prince Xander.” In the center was the old knight that Mozu recognized as the one who escorted her to Nohr. The one with black armor, what was his name? Gunter? Why was he here? “I must humbly ask you to step aside.”

“Why? What’s going?-“ He stopped talking, hanging his head. “…I see.” Mozu watched in horror as he walked past the guards towards his brother Leo, not turning around to face her at all. She took a step forward, trying to see where he was going. Not even Leo turned to face his brother.

“Xander…”

Suddenly, she heard loud footsteps and a shrieking cry of “NO!” She gasped as she saw Sakura sprint down the hall, arms reaching out. “No, no, no, you can’t!” Leo stepped in front of her, grabbing her and locking her in his arms as she struggled against him. “Please! Don’t!” Her fists hit his shoulders as he turned her away, not at all trying to calm her. “Mozu!” she cried out as the guards blocked her view now. She looked up in what she thought were the metal faces of her death, her expression blank.

The old knight spoke. “Mozu,” he said sternly. “You are hereby under arrest.” The two guards clenched their hands around her arms, yet she did not make a sound. “The crown charges you for the crime of impersonation of a member of the royal family. It is best for you if you don’t struggle.”

Her world had dulled as they moved her forward. She saw Leo dragging the poor, crying Sakura, too tired from screaming and struggling to fight any longer as she hung limply on his arms, still sobbing. She turned her eyes to Xander, able to see his face, but he had steeled his expression and no emotion laid in his eyes. Not once as she passed did he move an inch or deign to look at her at all. At this point, Mozu had no more tears to shed. The worst had passed.

She kept silent and followed the guards without any resistance as they walked her down the stone steps that led to a dark, damp place. She instantly recognized the iron bars and horrid stench of human excrement, knowing that this was the dungeon. They led her down a hall and unlocked a lone cell with nothing but a haystack and a bucket. The only sound Mozu made was a gasp when they shoved her in and slammed the door behind her. Hearing the lock click made the situation much more real that she thought.

Still wearing the priceless silk kimono, Mozu slowly fell onto her knees and sat against the iron bars. She glanced inside the cell she now called home and a bed and everything suddenly clicked. Not as fast, she felt her lip tremble, her chest waver, and her eyes grow hot. The cold breeze made her hug her shoulders as she heard the footsteps of the guards get quieter and quieter until they vanished. A stray tear rolled down her cheek before, all at once, she dug her face into the sleeves of the kimono, sobbing quietly to herself.


	12. As Our World Falls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know I JUST UPDATED. But what can I say? I've had the most fun writing this chapter...and the worst time too. It's probably one of my favorites and it's a real roller coaster. We might have a chapter or two next of relief before the plot thickens once again. THAT BEINGS SAID: There is a semi-violent scene about halfway. It's nothing too gory, but I thought it best for a small warning just in case ;w;
> 
> Oh, and please read the end notes too!

**As Our World Falls**

 

In the hours of midday, Xander sat at the bench before his piano, absentmindedly playing melodies with his right hand and resting his cheek in the palm of his left. He knew his old tutor would roar at him, claiming blasphemy for his horrid posture, but how he sat was the least of his concerns now. He tried to concentrate his fingers into playing the right notes to get his mind off _her_. He kept hearing how she cried to him that she wasn’t his betrothed, how she followed him.

_Can’t you remember? You were there!_

Fool. Of course he remembered. She had the most expressive face; her eyes smiled when she did and narrowed when her lips pouted. She was plain and simple, unlike the nobles who spent hours to look like anyone but themselves. She was fearless. She was strong. She was honest…

Except she wasn’t. Xander accidentally played a sour note, breaking him out of concentration. His hand twitched before he slammed it down with a loud grunt. Damn these accursed thoughts!

Perhaps. Perhaps this was penance. He looked up at the ceiling, as if trying to imagine the gods residing in the clouds above. Perhaps this was his own personal punishment for pursuing that Macarathian girl. He dared not think her name for fear that he would dredge up all of those memories from years past. His own deceit was met with the handmaiden’s. But no, this was different. He made sure that he did not let on for as long as he did, before he met with disastrous consequences. This one…this one had no such concerns. She hid behind the fact that it was her mistress’s idea, but surely she had to know. She had to know what she had done to him.

Xander leaned forward on the piano, the wrist of his hand pressed against his forehead. _Mozu_ …he thought. _Why did you do this, to you and me_? His eyes narrowed and he sat up straight. No. He couldn’t feel any pity for this girl who went too far in over her head and nearly severed Hoshidan and Nohrian relations. She was in the hands of the law.

He froze, not breathing. He knew exactly what the law would do. He shut his eyes, trying to blot out the image of her slow, imminent death if the law had its way.

Suddenly, he was awakened from his thoughts when someone opened the door. He looked over his shoulder and saw Leo stroll in, closing the door behind him. “Pardon,” he said, walking over. “Peri told me I could find you in here,”

“Mh. Is there something you need?”

“I need to tell you about the trial and other things you missed on.”

Xander groaned, going back to pressing his fingers on keys. “Please, I’d rather not.”

“Xander, don’t try to avoid this,”

“I never said I was avoiding,” he said, accidentally playing another sour note.

Leo rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. “Mm…” he said. “How about…” he smirked, leaning over. “I pick up an instrument and we duet. We haven’t done that in a while.”

Xander looked up, his face puzzled as he stopped playing. “If I recall, we were too old and too busy to concern ourselves with silly duets,”

“And yet,” Leo said, “I find you in the music room.” He shrugged. “We can either talk business first, or have ourselves a laugh when we realize we cannot play anymore.”

Xander tried to resist, but he would do anything to impede them talking about the trial. He knew such behavior was unbecoming of the future king, but he needed a bit more time. Perhaps a small session with his brother would prove fruitful. Their old tutor taught them that music needed emotion to sound beautiful, to sound real. Well, he figured both he and Leo had a lot of emotion right now. One corner of his mouth turned into a smirk as he stretched his fingers. “Take a violin.”

“Oh…” Leo smirked back as he went to the shelf and took out a violin case. Xander heard him groan when he opened up. “Ack…they never dust these things, do they?” he said as he walked back with a huff. Xander managed to chuckle as Leo tucked the instrument under his chin, lifted the bow, and played a quick scale. So far, it did not sound terribly horrible. “So what shall it be?”

“Hmm…” Xander looked at his own fingers. “You decide.”

“That may be a mistake,”

“So be it.”

Leo turned surprise for a second, but he chuckled and fixed his position. He took his bow, playing one note with it while carefully plucking another. Xander could recognize that simple intro anywhere. He played the small flurry of notes going up, confirming with him that they were on the same page. Leo held the note and plucks as Xander played the same flurry and the two instruments came to rest. In that brief period, the two brothers exchanged playful glances as Xander played the few staccatos that came next, preparing for Leo’s dramatic intro. A loud cry of violin echoed through the room as Leo played his part, picking up tempo and skill as Xander came in with his accompaniment. He played steadily, concentrating on his portion as Leo performed the main melody, scratching the violin’s strings with his bow. Shortly after, Xander played the same melody on his piano as Leo accompanied.

Ah yes. Xander knew this composition well. It was a perfect marriage between violin and piano, each side competing to see who could master the melody perfectly before handing it off to the other. He felt unhinged while playing, and let all of his anger bleed into his notes, fitting the composition. Haven gotten his muscle memory back, he took the time to look at Leo in the eyes as they shared friendly, yet competitive grins.

The room echoed with the flawless interpretation of the composition as piano and violin complemented each other in a strange, rigorous battle of music. Their fingers had to move fast to keep up with each other and the music, but Xander knew neither had a care. He got to show off the skill and speed of his fingers as he tapped each key in rhythm. Leo, in turn, could show how swift he could move his bow and trill any note. A rather moderate pace theme brought out the simplistic beauty of each instrument, but it was only a prelude to things to come. Xander’s part sounded rather romantic, with notes blurring together in a soft, gentle tone. Leo’s violin part was less harsh and peaceful. Xander’s favorite part was coming up where in a boom of volume and intensity, the two instruments played the same spine-chilling group of notes, each louder than the last.

Now came the hardest part. Keeping tempo and vigor, Xander played the descending melody that used all ten of his fingers until the two instruments exploded into the song. In the story of the composition, things took a turn for the worse as madness and dread overtook the song. Each boom of music made Xander feel alive as the intensity kept him on the edge of the bench. They both played frantic themes that took every fiber of concentration they had, pouring soul and passion into each note and flurry. Xander slammed a couple of his fingers down for of the last, long notes of the piano’s part. He heard himself taking slow breaths as Leo played his last solo theme. For the big finish, another flourish of notes from the piano as Leo trilled his note with Xander’s. Leo waved his bow twice for the final notes as Xander hopped his fingers. The two brothers took deep breaths and relaxed their backs as Leo took the violin from under his chin. They exchanged tired glances before snickering into joyful laughter.

“Gods!” Xander said, “That was exhilarating,”

“As good music should be,” Leo said, walking back to where he left the violin case. “I almost thought you weren’t going to make it,”

“Heh,” Xander said, crossing his arms. “I almost thought you could not keep up,”

“Oh, please.” Leo locked the violin up before returning to the bench. He leaned against the piano. “I can’t believe we remembered that piece…”

“Hmph.” Xander smiled. “We stayed up at night, practicing so quietly because Gerrhardt could not stand this composition. What did he say?”

Leo laughed. “He said that it would bring the foul spirits into our room with its wailing cries and call upon storms from the skies…something like that.” He softened a bit. “I suppose it would be strange if we did not remember it, after all the time we took perfecting it.”

Xander leaned his elbow against the piano, sighing a soft, “Yes.” He shook his head and took a deep breath, sitting up straight. “…I think I’m ready to talk.”

Leo nodded, his tone changing to a more serious one. “Right. I’ll just get to it. We cannot give the handmaiden a fair trial,”

“What?” Xander turned to him, one part of him worried. “Why not?”

“You and I both know what a fair trial would enact upon her. And Sakura knows too,”

“So,” he said, eyes narrowing, “are we essentially…skirting the penalty of death?”

“Of sorts.” Leo shook his head. “Who knows what the princess would do if we executed her handmaiden. You know she does not speak to me unless she is to tell me of what _not_ to do with Mozu?”

“She’s that attached?”

“Very.” Leo sighed and rubbed his temple with two fingers. “And I fear, Brother, that Sakura may even bargain the treaty for her.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Xander said, crossing his arms. “Surely the princess is not daft enough to compromise our relations?”

“It’s not that.” He groaned before closing his eyes. “She…she has a letter,”

“A letter?”

“From Queen Mikoto. Apparently,” he said, his tone becoming more frustrated, “the queen has the gift of foresight. She sent Sakura a letter with instructions to not open it unless she has doubts about her engagement.”

Xander’s eyes widened, realizing what kind of impact that could have. “Gods…who has it?”

“Sakura,” Leo replied bitterly. “I gave it to her when I thought she was Mozu and told her not to give it to the princess, and now, well…”

“Do you think Mikoto foresaw that?”

“Probably!” he said, throwing his arms up. “I mean, who knows what’s in that letter! For all we know, Mikoto could have foresaw the terrible war between Nohr and Hoshido and said ‘Just kidding! You don’t have to marry him! Come home whenever you damn please!’”

“Leo, calm yourself,” Xander said as he stood up. He looked at him right in the eye before Leo nodded and lowered his arms and voice.

“My apologies…”

“For all we know, the letter could say comforting words to ease her into the marriage,”

“I doubt that,” Leo said. “If it said that, then she wouldn’t have to be so cryptic about it,”

“Either way, do you think that Sakura would disregard those directions?”

Leo put his fist under his cheek, humming under his breath as he calculated an answer. “…I’d like to think not. She seems to respect her mother’s fortune telling, so I doubt she would go against fate, as it were,”

“Mhmm.” Xander rolled his shoulders as he sat back down. “So, this means we have to keep her happy at all costs so she does not develop these doubts,”

“My thoughts exactly,”

“And she wants to keep her handmaiden that badly…”

“Indeed.”

Xander knit his eyebrows together, trying to process all of the information at once. Of course, one part of him was relieved that Mozu did not have to suffer through the torture that came with the penalty for high treason, but he worried at the same time for he knew Nohr concocted fates worse than death. He knew that he could not spare another thought on her, but it was increasingly difficult.

_You can’t pretend it didn’t happen! We…we were happy!_

Her words hit him like spears, but they rang true. He had spent the last month falling for the wrong girl, but he was _so happy_. Even if Sakura was similar, they could never have what he mistakenly had for Mozu. He couldn’t reset all of those dates, all of those dinners. Sakura could not have saved him the way Mozu did. That’s right; he did owe her his life, no matter how he wanted to deny it.

Xander stood up. “Fine,” he said. “You and I shall judge her ourselves. We will keep this problem contained and taken care of our way,”

Leo stuttered as he stood up straight. “R-right, I was about to suggest…h-hey! Where are you going?”

“I’m going to dress,” he said, heading for the doorway. “This has to happen tonight. I can trust you to ready everything?” Leo reached out and opened his mouth to say something, but his hand turned into a fist and he closed his lips. He lowered his arm and nodded once. Xander took that as his leave to exit. First, he would make a stop by his room and fit himself with clothes more suitable for a prince and then he would go down to face her.

He knew it would not at all be easy.

* * *

The past few days for Mozu had been some of the worst in her life, only second to finding her village burned to the ground. They had stripped her of Sakura’s kimono and tossed her a dress (if you could call it that) of burlap with bit, open holes for sleeves. Her hair clung to her scalp from the lack of any baths and her stomach constantly ached after she could barely eat the horse dung they called food. She could barely sleep through the chilly, damp nights with nothing but straw for her back. So here she stayed, hungry with her tongue dry for water, doing nothing but braiding some hay to pass the time. Surprisingly, she was the only one down here and her only form of human contact came from the guard who gave her one meal a day. She wondered if she would stay down here forever, locked away because it was so easy for the royals to get rid her like that.

Mozu had to have known this was coming. What she did, after all, was high treason in any kingdom. Gods, oh why, oh why did she agree to this? Why did she believe that Sakura could protect her after all? Wishful thinking got her into a lot of trouble these days, it looked like. She curled up around herself, hugging her knees as she looked at her bare toes covered in brown splotches of dirt. Just maybe this wasn’t the worst of it, she thought. Someone like her could handle eating the minimum of food and get used to sleeping on the ground. At this rate, she’d probably never see Sakura again, or-

She heard the door open for the second time day, which was odd. This had to be something new. She heard two…no, three pairs of footsteps coming her way. Trying not to look eager, the pauper kept her head down until they reached her cell. _Gods, they’re going to take me away? To get killed?_

“Mozu.” Hold on. She recognized that voice.

She lifted her head, quickly saying, “Xander?” Sure enough, the prince stood before her with guards on either side of him. He towered over her, even as she stood, with scowling eyes. Once, his violets looked so warm, but now they were nothing but ice. She almost wanted to shrink back, knowing she must look filthy and unsightly. “Ah…uhm…I mean...M-Milord…”

He said nothing, and instead, turned to one guard and nodded. That guard unlocked her cell and opened the door, stepping aside so she could come out. With small steps, she did.

“Make no mistake,” Xander said. “I am only here to escort you to your trial.” The other guards walked up to her and pulled out some shackles. Mozu only hesitated for a moment before presenting her wrists to be bound. As the cell door closed behind her, the two guards grabbed her arms and waited for Xander to walk before they did, trudging her along. Even she had to know that this was highly unusual for the prince himself to walk a prisoner to trial. She bit the inside of her cheek, suspicious.

As they walked down the damp, stony floor, Mozu spoke up. “I mean no offense, but, why are you here?”

“I don’t have to answer you,” he said, not looking back.

She curled her lips into a pout and narrowed her eyes. “Well, yeah, you don’t,” she said. “But it wouldn’t have hurt to ask ya anyway,”

“Then you know nothing of the position you’re in,”

“Maybe not,” she said, looking at the back of his head like she would burn a hole with her eyes. Please, just look, she thought. “…I thought I meant something to you.” Xander did not even pause in his step as silence ensued for a minute before she dared to speak again. “…You’re not going to talk to me, are you?”

“I suggest you silence yourself before you dig into even worse trouble.” It sounded more like a command than a suggestion. She followed him up the stone stairs that led to the main part of the castle.

Though, it worried her greatly that Xander was not talking to her. Last time he showed any emotion was when she told him the truth, but since then, nothing. She had hoped that during this trial, she could explain herself to the best of her ability. Maybe then, he’d want to actually talk. If there was something to talk about.

Strangely enough, Mozu noticed that they did not leave the palace, and instead, they led her to a small room in one of the top-most floors. There were two guards on either side of the door there as well. Xander pushed the double doors open and inside were only two other people. Sitting in one of the regal chairs behind the desk was Prince Leo and standing before him was her princess. In the first time in days, Mozu’s face lit as Sakura turned around with a gasp. “Mozu!” Once the guards pushed her in, the princess dashed towards her, embracing her tightly. “Oh Gods! You’re okay!”

“I-I’m fine!” she said, noticing Xander walk past them to take his seat. “Ohhh! But I stink! Don’t-“

“I don’t care!” she said, pulling away, yet still holding her arms. Mozu took a quick look and found her wearing one of her formal kimonos. The handmaiden smiled seeing her mistress in her rightful clothes. “I promise, you’re going to be-“

“Ahem.” Sakura’s face soured as she turned to Leo, who had cleared his throat. He met her expression with one of skepticism and sat up in his chair. “We’re about to start, Lady Sakura.” She pursed her lips and turned to Mozu one last time before she took her seat next to Xander. The guards left the room and closed the door, leaving only the four in the room. Mozu looked around, absolutely confused. This wasn’t seriously her trial, was it? Where was the jury? The judge? The peanut gallery throwing fruit? “Mozu,” said Leo, which snapped her out of her thoughts. “Xander and I thought it best to spare you from a fair trial, as the penalty for high treason in Nohrian law would call for your death. And not by simple beheading.” She wondered if that was a threat. Either way, it lodged an anxious lump in her throat. “Though, as Sakura had pointed out, you did indeed rescue Xander’s life in the forest. For that, we extend to you this one and only courtesy.”

She blinked in surprise and turned her attention to Xander. He was looking in her direction, but not exactly. More like he was staring above her, avoiding direct eye contact as he sat there like a stone statue. “Uhm…” came Mozu, turning back to Leo. “Th-thank you…I guess.”

“I wouldn’t just yet.” Leo narrowed his eyes. “You will still receive a sentence. Now then, did you wish to attempt to explain yourself?”

As Mozu opened her mouth, Sakura cut her off. “I told you,” she said to Leo. “She was acting under my orders. There isn’t anything to say!”

“Actually, there is.” And this time, she knew all eyes were on her. Mozu took a big, deep breath before saying what was on her mind. “Sakura, if you asked me to, I would do it again.” Silence wrought through the room. “Not because I enjoyed it, but because you asked. Were…were you happy that we did?”

“Yes, but…” Sakura stood. “Mozu, how could I ever ask you to do this again? To risk death for me again?” Leo opened his mouth to cut her off, but the princess was ready with a death scowl. He sunk back in his chair in defeat. “I should have never asked you…I knew that you would do it just because I wanted it,”

“Lady Sakura, that’s what a handmaiden does,” she said, managing a smile.

Leo got in a word this time. “Yes, but, Mozu,” he said. “You had to have known the consequences. You didn’t consider disobeying or talking her out of it?”

“No,” she said, not needing to think about her answer. “Yes, I knew what could happen. And no, I did not think to disobey.”

Leo pinched his temple as Sakura held her own hands. She bit her lip and dashed out of her chair to go to Mozu’s side. “Hey!” Leo said as she shielded the pauper behind her. “Lady Sakura, this is ridiculous!”

“I know I am!” she said as Mozu’s eyes widened, wondering what in the world her mistress was doing. Her voice grew louder with more conviction. “But you can’t punish her! I am the one who did this, so it should be me!”

“L-Lady Sakura…” Mozu breathed, her eyes growing hot. Never before had she seen the shy Sakura this adamant.

“Listen, I am sorry for lying to the two of you. I know it should have been me with you all this time, Xander, but I was selfish.” She lowered her arms, but still kept herself standing tall and proud. “A part of me was too cowardly to face this new responsibility put onto me. And now, because of me, my…” She looked back at Mozu. “My one and only friend here in Nohr will suffer.” Mozu felt her heart swell with a bittersweet kind of happiness. To hear Sakura declare her a friend and defend her like this was something she never expected. She felt less vulnerable and more…more loved. Sakura’s voice calmed as she turned back to the astonished princes. “I know the both of you can see that I make sense. So…please? Can’t we let this be over?”

Leo turned to Xander, looking for advice, but the elder prince did nothing but look askance. Great, Mozu thought. He doesn’t even want to be a part of this trial. He hasn’t said a word. Why hasn’t he said anything? Leo groaned and sat back down in his seat, crossing his arms.

“Sakura,” he said, “we’re bending the rules a lot as it is. The king will have to know that this happened and he will want to know that it has been taken care of. I can’t let Mozu off without punishment,”

“Then punish me too!” Sakura said. “Whatever you give to her, I can take it-“

“S-Sakura,” she said, grabbing her shoulder. “No, trust me, you can’t. You’re royalty anyway! No one would ever lay a finger on you to deliberately hurt you!”

“She is right,” Leo said. “Imagine the scandal we would have if Father and Mikoto had found out we caned the future queen of Nohr.”

Sakura pressed her lips into a thin line, looking back at Mozu. The latter knew that Sakura would not budge or compromise or that Leo would actually agree to hurt her too. So, Mozu knew that she had to be the one to stand up for herself. It was unfair to hide behind Sakura’s skirts any longer. She looked right at Leo and took a step forward. “I’ll take whatever it is. I…I just want to stay with Lady Sakura,” she said, trying to sound as straight as she could as she could feel her voice waver. “If I’m not serving her, then I don’t know what to do…I’d rather lose a foot than rot in a prison not doing anything.”

The princess gasped but Mozu faced her with a look of conviction, as if asking her not to interject. Sakura shook her head but Mozu broke eye contact. The both of them faced Leo, awaiting the sentence. “Very well,” he said. “Listen, I may have an idea. To give the illusion of fairness, I can sentence Sakura as well, however, you would also take her punishment atop yours.”

“Leo!” Sakura cried. “How cruel can you-“

“Wait!” Mozu said. “Let’s hear him out...”

“Right…I know it’s not ideal, but I can spin it in a way to my father that would make it beneficial to the both of you. Sakura seeks the justice she desires but Mozu take the harsher punishment. That should prove how far you’re willing to go for your mistress and allow you to stay in Nohr.”

Sakura shook her head. “I won’t allow it!” She turned to the other prince. “Xander! Please…you have to admit that this is cruel and wrong!” Mozu wondered if he would say anything now, but he only narrowed his eyes, as if to see less. He did move a bit. “You don’t really want to see her take two harsh sentences…do you?” His eyes flashed with emotion for a little before his jaw moved, grinding his teeth again. Mozu stared at him in complete concentration, as if she could will his head to move, to see her at least once. She didn’t know Xander to be a coward like this. Before time forced Xander to answer, Leo spoke for him.

“It’s the best I can do, Sakura,” Leo said, his expression looking a little pained. “And unfortunately, it’s not up to you. Guards!” Before Sakura could dispute with him again, the door opened and the two guards who escorted Mozu came inside and stood on either side of her. “Mozu.” She looked up at him, trying to brace herself for the sentence as the guards grabbed her arms. She knew she would get hurt and the anxiety that came with future pain chilled her spine. “The crown hereby finds you guilty of impersonation of a member of the royal family. For this, we sentence you to one hundred lashes.” Her heart sank right there. “Princess Sakura of Hoshido. The crown hereby finds you guilty of conspiring with the accused in the impersonation of a member of the royal family. For this, we sentence you to fifty lashes. However, as Mozu has agreed to take the sentence of the princess, she will receive one hundred and fifty lashes.”

At the moment he said “one hundred and fifty,” Mozu caught Xander’s eyes. Though he tried to hide it, she could see the look of horror in his face as his lips barely parted. Finally, he sat straight and slowly turned his head so their eyes met. Mozu felt her entire body tremble as the prince himself stared at her with a look of pity because he knew that the sentence was harsh, far too harsh. Suddenly, the guards jerked her back to force her walk.

Sakura reached out to her, but she was unable to say anything. For a split second, Mozu felt a fire of contempt and hate against the princess for putting her in this position, but it quickly faded. She knew she was to blame too. She never fought. She never questioned. As they turned her around and dragged her out of the room with her head down, Mozu realized she would wear her mistakes on her back.

Once she was ferried out and the doors closed, Sakura balled her fists and slowly turned around to face them, her eyes tired, yet angry. Looking back at her was the pitying, yet stone face of Leo. Xander had hung his head, not uttering a sound as he curled his own fists until you could hear the leather of his glove stretching. She spoke. “How could you…” she said, her tone quiet at first before descending into melancholy. “How could you, knowing that she would obey you, like that?” Now she grew louder. “She would have given you her head if you asked!”

“Why are you blaming this on me?” Leo retorted back. “It’s not my fault that your handmaiden is such a stepping stone that-“

Xander spoke, silencing the room. “She is not a stepping stone.” His tone was quiet, yet firm, and one could hear the effort it took for him just to speak. He slowly lifted his head. “She is someone brave enough to bleed in order to protect those she loves.”

Sakura’s face softened as she took a step forward, his words resonating within her. “Xander,” she said, folding her hands. “You agree with me, don’t you?” He broke eye contact and looked down, but Sakura kept on him. “I know that what we did hurt you, and I am forever sorry for it, but please…” Her voice quieted. “You know she doesn’t deserve this…not after all of the time you spent together.”

Xander stood up suddenly. “Leo, we’re finished, right?”

“Ah…uh…yes…” He blinked as surprise as Xander walked out from behind the desk, past Sakura. “Wh-where are you going?”

“I just need some air…” He excused himself and tried to walk the hall to the best of his ability. He felt like he could not breath inside his clothes and his throat trapped shut. He heard his soft struggles to breathe as he staggered to the other side of the hall where there was a balcony he could lean on. He tried to calm himself as his hands gripped on the stone railings, trying to concentrate on the rather eerily calm sky that Nohr did not usually have.

He couldn’t do it after all. Like an ass, he said nothing but cruel words to her like she was another peasant. Not even that, because Xander knew he was nothing but polite even to those from the lower class. She may very well never forgive him for that. If not, then for not standing up for her during her trial. He honestly let Leo sentence her to one hundred and fifty of those lashes and he said _nothing_. It was as if she never existed to him. Gods, but she did. For one sweet month, she was everything to him. She was the messy breakfast she made for him, she was the moonlight in the water, she was the fierce warrior, and she was the honest judge. The price of making him happy was one hundred and fifty lashes.

He could see it in his mind’s eye and the sight frightened him to no end. He took a step back, his mind clouded with conflicting thoughts of what he should and should not do. “…Damn it!” He turned on his heel and broke into a mad dash. A large part of him still retained anger and bitterness for what she did, but the sliver that still cared about her knew that he couldn’t let it happen.

* * *

 Mozu’s heart had never beat so fast in her life, her eyes never so wide and dry. The only things she could process in her mind were the sounds of the guards’ footsteps and the clanking noise of her shackles. She wasn’t sure if she was only pretending to be dull or if the anxiety of fear had actually numbed her body. Either way, she knew she had to scream, to cry, to express, but nothing could be done. One part of her thought she should be happier because at least she would survive this. Maybe barely, but she would. And she would go on living with Sakura like nothing had ever happened.

Finally, they stopped, and Mozu found herself in the corner of a small room, looking before her. At her feet, there was a small brown stepping stool and above her head, there was a dangling pair of shackles from the ceiling. Seeing it made it all the more real. One guard took off the shackles from her wrists and another stood in front of her. He put her hands on her shoulders and gripped the sleeves of her burlap before yanking it down. Mozu screamed quickly as he pulled it off her wrists, exposing her back completely. The cold breeze stung her too as they pushed her onto the stool. She had about a second of comfort, wrapping her arms around her for modesty before they grabbed her wrists and lifted them up. She shut her eyes as they clicked the binds shut, her entire body trembled as she heard the footsteps behind her shuffle.

The first one woke her entire body with an excruciating sting that resonated throughout, making her open her eyes and cry out. Right after, she breathed frantically, trying to calm the burning pain on her back. She had no time for respite as the second lash was delivered. This time, she shut her eyes and flinched, whimpering through her teeth. She hid her face against her upper arms, shivering until the third bite. She had never heard such ugly cries from her before as she felt the trickles of blood staining her back. Her nails dug into her palms as she tried to repress her voice on the fourth. She could not feel any other part of her body as blood and adrenaline pooled to her back. Tears streamed down her face on the fifth. In the pit of her stomach, a hurling force pushed against her throat and out of her stomach with nothing actually coming out but air and pain. Her body flinched against the whip as she let out a blood-curdling scream. Her knees grew weak as she hunched herself over.

_Gods. I can’t do this. I can’t do this!_

She anxiously awaited the seventh, hiccupping and sobbing from all of the pain.

“Stop!” The voice echoed against the stone walls.

Did her ears deceive her? She lifted her head, hearing hurried footsteps coming her way. She recognized that voice all too well. It couldn’t have…couldn’t have been…

“Prince Xander?” asked a guard. She gasped amongst her panicky shivers and turned her head to the best of the ability, only one eye able to see him. She dared not turn her body and expose her front either. His expression looked devastated, no doubt from the terrible image before his eyes. She wasn’t sure how to feel that he was here. On one hand, he did stop the torture upon her, but on the other, she didn’t want him to see her like this. She felt embarrassed and turned her head away in shame.

He closed his slack jaw and fixed his overall posture. She waited for him to say something, anything, but what if he just came to watch? Finally, he turned to the nearest guard. “This is enough. Consider her sentence fulfilled,”

“B-but, Milord?” He glared at the guard before he reached for her shackles. Did she hear that right too? He was letting her go…actually letting her go. Perhaps this was her chance, her opportunity. Unfortunately for Mozu, as soon as the guard released her shackle, her entire body felt limp apart from the searing pain on her back. With no strength, she fell like dead weight to the floor, landing on her side. She yelped in pain from landing on the corners of her fresh lashes. For a good minute, she lied there, taking raspy breaths as she tried to calm herself from the sheer agony of it. After, she attempted to lift her head and in time, she saw Xander turn on his heel. She tried to shout, but her voice was too hoarse to make any sort of word at first. At this angle, the tears rolling down her cheek spilled over her lips as she tasted salt.

Finally, she could start to feel some life back into her arms. She put her elbows on the floor, entire body trembling as her breaths remained shaky. She lifted her head with a grunt, still able to see him not too far off. Hoarsely, she yelled, “Xander!” He stopped, but he said nothing. She coughed from the strain of her voice, trying her best to lift herself up, but it felt like moving a thousand crates. She noticed him finally turned around to face her. “Wh…why you?...Why did…”

“You would rather that I didn’t?”

“What? No!” She winced, the strain of it extending even to her back. “Agh!...B-but…you…”

Xander turned around, ringing fear in Mozu’s heart as he wore his harsh scowl. He looked so much like the night she told him, the night everything changed. After unclenching his jaw, he spoke. “Just one hundred could have killed you.” He turned around to walk. “With that much blood loss, that is.” Somehow, she didn’t believe it. “I’m simply repaying the debt. Consider us even.”

The guards walked on either side of her and lifted her up by her arms as she watched him walk away. He cared. He still cared about her. The no talking bit was still annoying, but he wanted her to be okay. She managed a small smile as the guards slipped her open sleeves up and assisted her in walking out of the dungeon until she could manage on her own two feet. Her body still felt weak and frail, and she had to lean again the wall to support herself. Her back still seared in suffering as each step felt like she was walking waist-deep in mud. She knew it was too foolish to go after Xander at this time, so she made her way back to the suite where Sakura stayed. Standing on both sides of the door were Charlotte and Benny, who had noticed Mozu basically limping towards them. They saw her, clearly, but they exchanged glances as if neither knew what to do. Mozu frowned as they opted to look forward, pretending she did not exist. Fine, whatever. She knocked on the door and not a moment later, Sakura had answered. “Mozu!”

As she leaned in to hug her, Mozu took a step back saying, “Wait! No.” She winced at the sudden movement, feeling the pain throb throughout her body. Sakura gasped and took her hands, pulling her inside.

“Oh my gods, how are you standing? How are you walking? You didn’t really-“

“Six,” she finally said as Sakura closed the door.

“…Hm?”

“I-it was only six…” She looked up at the princess. “X-Xander…he stopped it…” Sakura’s eyes widened as she pulled Mozu to the bed, letting her sit.

“Wow…” she said, sitting next to her, holding her hands. “I…I didn’t expect him to do that when he left so abruptly. Oh, but thank goodness!” she said with a huge sigh of relief. “If only six did that to you, I can’t imagine what a hundred would do…” Her face scrunched into a sour look as she squeezed her hand. “I can’t believe Leo, giving you such a terrible sentence.”

Mozu shrugged, but quickly winced from doing that. “It was for the best,” she said quietly. “Because of it, we can go back to the way it should be.”

Sakura frowned and nodded reluctantly. “I know…” She stood up. “I-I’m sorry about this. D-do you want to go take a bath?”

“Aha…uhm, might not be the best thing to do now,” she said.

“Hm? Oh, right!” Sakura groaned as she slapped her forehead. “Oh, Mozu, please let me see them!”

“Wh-what? Why?” She knew if Sakura saw them, the princess would simply fret over her nonstop.

“So I can clean you and apply medicine. If only I had a Sun Festal…that would heal them right up.”

Mozu quickly gave up, figuring that it was best to not let it go uninfected. She tried to lift her arms to take off the sleeves, but another surge of pain throbbed through her veins. She now understood why a whip was an instrument of torture: its bite still lingered after the torture passed. Sakura set her arms down and gently slipped them out of the holes of the burlap, trying not to upset the inflaming lashes. Mozu could still feel the bite and trembled as Sakura had successfully freed her torso. She walked to the basin of water she kept for washing her face at night and used a smaller bucket to scoop some out. Then, she took a salve and a small towel before returning to Mozu, sitting behind her. “Tell me if I’m hurting you, okay?”

“Mhmm.” Unfortunately for Mozu, that would be all the time. She flinched immediately upon feeling the damp towel against one of the edges of her wound, and she dug her nails into her legs. “Ah!”

“Oh, sorry, sorry! Oh…” Mozu bit the inside of her cheek as Sakura kept to wiping the dirt and pebbles off the sides. “My gods…how can you stand this?” Unable to answer, Mozu just made a murmur from her throat as she tried her hardest to stay still. Occasionally, Sakura would dab against the actual wound and it took whatever little strength she had to not cry out in pain. “I’ve never seen so much red,” Sakura said. “All of your blood must have pooled to your back. No wonder you could not walk…” Mozu said nothing as she took away the towel and squeezed the water into the bucket. She glanced over and saw that the water had turned light red. Sakura reached for the healing salve now and Mozu knew that this would be worse. Sakura had actually leaned back and handed Mozu a pillow to hold. “H-here I go…” she said, putting some on her fingers. Once it hit her top-most lash, Mozu latched her teeth around the pillow and bit down hard. The medicine stung so horribly against her that she thought she would faint. Though, that might have been from the lack of good food. Her head clouded with throbbing pain and by the time Sakura was done, she felt absolutely limp and lifeless again. She fell forward on the bed, landing on her stomach with a groan. She would have slept right there if the door did not knock.

“Hm?” Sakura said as she walked over. She opened the door and Mozu recognized Charlotte’s voice from the other side.

“Ah, good evening, Milady…” she said.

“What’s this?” Sakura asked, looking at something that Mozu could not see. “Oh, a dress?”

“Y-yeah…” She sighed. “I-I heard what happened to Mozu and…w-well I figured that she would need something like this better. S-see? It has an open back.”

“Wow, how thoughtful of you!” she said, her voice genuinely pleased.

“I-It’s nothing…I just…kind of wanted to thank her for allowing to see my mom before we left on that journey. She really helped me a lot.” Upon hearing that, Mozu’s lips crept into a soft smile. Sakura thanked her and closed the door as Mozu’s heavy eyes closed. For the first time in days, she allowed herself to a wonderful night’s sleep.

In the morning, Sakura’s first instinct was to dunk the girl in a bath, but she was reminded of the healing wounds on her back. Soon, Mozu felt strong enough and decided to use a small basin to wash her hair, at least. Before she put her new dress on, she stared at the mirror image of her back, having not seen the scars. Six slashes burned pink-red on her back like fresh burns and Mozu sucked in air between her teeth, seeing the severity of it. She could remember the pain so clearly in her mind that she shivered just thinking of it. Her mouth dried and cold anxiety spread in her stomach. She shook her head, trying to expel the image from her mind. She had taken Charlotte’s dress with her and held it up to inspect it. It was a simple red with an open back and exposed shoulders. The dress used its tight sleeves around her arms to stay up while still allowing her back to breath. Mozu wasn’t sure if she felt comfortable exposing her wounds like that, but it was better than wearing a yukata and tight obi.

Once she left the bathroom, she started in the direction to go back to her old room before she stopped. Right. It was Sakura’s suite now. Mozu sighed and turned on her heel to go the other way. That is, if that was the right way. She assumed the servant’s quarters would be in the bottom-most floor of the castle. She wondered what it would be like to walk in there for the first time. Somehow, she did not expect a warm welcome. Then again, after what she went through, a couple of mean looks and words would barely make her flinch.

Mozu groaned as she tried to recall the tour she was given. She could perhaps find her way to the kitchen and start looking there, maybe even run into someone. The number of doors lessened the further she went down. She found the kitchen door and the door to the dining hall. By lucky guess, she found the hall leading to the servant’s quarters. Once she walked in, she found nearly no one. It was late in the morning, so maybe everyone had left to do their jobs. Sakura insisted on rest, and Mozu knew she needed it. She walked down the halls of the dormitory until she heard a maid and a butler talking down the hall. She walked up to them with a small, “Excuse me?” They turned to her. “D-does someone mind showing me where I’m gonna sleep?”

The butler crossed his arms. “…You’re the fake princess, right?”

Mozu frowned. “I-I was…I-I’m Mozu,”

The maid scoffed. “I heard you begged the prince to spare you from your flogging.” The butler chuckled as Mozy gawked in surprise.

“What? That didn’t happen! Besides, it’s none of y-“

“What kind of dress is that?” the maid said. “Looks like something you could only find in the lower reaches of Windmire,”

“Phoebe!” said the butler. “You’re much too cruel.” He turned back to Mozu, still laughing at the maid’s comment. “You’re in the third room, top bunk on the right. I’d sleep with one eye open, though.”

Noted.

Mozu sulked to her new bed, trying her best to ignore the comments of that nasty maid. She had missed out on breakfast and she felt lightheaded and weak. It took most of her strength to climb up to her bunk, on the account of not eating well for the past four days now. She groaned as she fell on her stomach and onto the bed, holding her pillow in her arms. It wasn’t as comfy as Sakura’s bed, but still much better than the stack of hay.

For the next couple of days, she had remained mostly bedridden unless to eat and use the bathroom. Bluntly, she still felt like shit after not eating and sleeping well for three days, then subjected to six lashes. Maybe Xander was right after all and a hundred and fifty would have killed her indeed. She hated every minute that she was not with Sakura, being helpful or doing something useful. The first day, she could barely keep her food down after gorging herself on the bread and porridge. She nursed an upset stomach that day, lying awkwardly on her side to not put pressure on her back or belly. On the third, she found herself with enough strength to walk the halls of the castle, just so she could get back on her feet for a while before bed.

She yawned as she walked one of corridors halls in which the side facing the outside had nothing but a balustrade, overlooking the grounds of the castle. What stopped her in her steps was a low rumble of crashing coming from the outside. She walked to the edge, putting her hands on the balustrade and looking up at the sky, canopied with dark clouds that loomed over the land. She felt the swift breeze on her cheeks and knew that it would be a stormy night. One of the first of many that came with living here, she thought. As she glanced over the scenery from the balcony, she suddenly heard a close thud and loud grunt. Quickly, she darted her head around before hearing it again. Finally, she leaned over the balustrade and looked directly below her. She recognized the flat training ground instantly, the sheds around its perimeter. In the center of the grounds was someone swinging a large, wooden sword against a training dummy. Therein lied the sound, but she also recognized the figure and his voice.

Xander took a step back before swinging the sword, hitting the dummy in the crook of its neck as he grunted in effort. Mozu inhaled through her nose, her face scrunching in frustration. She could clearly see how he struggled, trying to oust his anger. Or maybe she only thought that he was keeping things inside. Nope. Nope, she knew he was, and she had some things to say too. Screw sleeping for now; she knew she wouldn’t get a good night’s sleep unless she tried. Maybe, before, he was too afraid to say anything in front of the others, but if they were alone, he didn’t have a choice. She made her way to the stone staircase that led to the outside, towards the training area. She saw that his back was to her, so she took the opportunity to skirt around the perimeter and hide behind a shed so he couldn’t see her. He seemed pretty invested in his training and would probably use it to not listen to her. So be it.

Though feeling the pain as she crouched over, Mozu snuck into one of the sheds, opening the door as slowly as it could so it would not creek. Once she slipped in, she stood up took deep breaths to calm herself and reached for the oil lamp above her, turning it on to bring light. She made her way to the wooden training weapons and looked over which would be best. She knew she was good with a bow and a hunting knife, but neither fared well for any sort of sparring. She doubted that she could lift an axe or use a sword with finesse. Finally, she happened upon a long staff with a blunt, pointed end. She picked it up, the weapon reminding her of Hoshidan naginatas. It did not curve like them but they had the same principle. She twirled it around, using the basic naginata training she had. Mozu knew that she would definitely be no much for a trained swordsman as Xander, especially as she had only regained about half of her strength, but she wasn’t here to win. She tip-toed back to the door and shut off the oil lamp before quietly opening the door once more. Hunching and crouching felt like she was stretching the wounds open, but she endured it just for this. Her head felt light and she did not have complete control over her limbs like she used to. Still, she looked back at him to see what he was doing.

Good, Xander was still distracted with the training dummy. She slipped out, gripping her wooden lance with sweaty palms, and slowly approached him. His figure came into a clearer view and she noticed that he only wore plain pants tucked into his boots. As he swung his sword, his back muscles tightened and relaxed and his shoulders rose and fall with the laborious breaths he took. Mozu straightened her back and grit her teeth together once she was a yard or two away from him. With courage, she called out, “Xander!”

He finished his swing before his body froze, not moving except to breath. He took his sweet time to stand up straight, drop the sword to his side, and turn around. Once again, his expression was stoic and callous, and Mozu had just about enough of it. “Do you not realize that you are overstepping your boundaries right now?”

“Of course I do,” she said, furrowing her brows. “I’ve been a peasant most of my life,”

“Then why come?” he said, dropping the sword into the dirt. He walked a couple of feet to grab a white tunic shirt that was crumpled into the dust. He spoke as he rubbed the back of his neck with it. “You risk arrest, you know,”

“I know!” she said, wanting to stamp her foot in the ground, but she refrained. “I’m here because I care!” Xander narrowed his eyes in skepticism as he patted the shirt around his chest. Her eyes darted to the healing claw wound at his side for a second before meeting his eyes again. “You won’t talk to me, but I know you’re keeping something inside. I know you’re taking it out on the poor dummy! I heard it all the way from up there!” she said, pointing to the balcony. “But you should be taking it out on me. A-after all…you’re mad at me, right?”

Xander scoffed. “Really?” he said, tossing the shirt aside. “You think that’s what this is about?”

“I’m…I’m pretty sure!” she said. “Why else did you save me earlier?”

“You think it wise to question your saving?”

“Yes!” She took a step forward. “I don’t believe the excuse you gave me,”

Xander balled his hand into a fist. “First, I save you, and now you demand an explanation for it?”

“Y-yes! That’s what I’m doing,” she said, trying to keep strong, but a terrible ringing sound trilled in her ears. Goodness, her body wasn’t prepared for this. “B-because! If you really didn’t want it to happen, why didn’t you stop Leo from doing it? Why didn’t you speak up?”

“I don’t need to explain myself,” he turned his back on her. “Now go before you get yourself into worse-“ In a fit of frustration, Mozu yelled and brought down the lance until it jabbed against his shoulder. He flinched and stopped in his tracks, whipping his body around. He looked at her like a mad woman. “What the hell are you doing?!”

Mozu pulled the lance back, almost wondering the same thing. If he wanted to, he could have her arrested again with a real trial. Assaulting a prince must be an even worse punishment than six lashes. Yet, she made no move to apologize or beg for forgiveness, almost as if she welcomed the consequences. She readied herself in a combat stance, staring down the prince as she tried to ignore the panging on her shoulders and back. “I’m sparring…yeah!” she said. “P-pick up your sword.”

Xander crossed his arms, as if telling her he wouldn’t bite. “Mozu,” he said. “This is ridiculous. You can’t just--," Another soft blow hit his arm and his eyes widened.

She knew she was staring Death right in the face with the look of fury in his eyes, but she remained plucky. She readied for another, but Xander was ready, and he caught the stick in his hands. She yelped as he gripped it with both hands and tried to pull it away. “I’m serious--!“

“I am too!” she said, yanking it back towards her, against his slacking grip. She twisted the lance in a way that would make part of the pole hit his cheek, forcing him to let go. Xander pressed his hand against his jaw, rubbing it as he watched her take a step back. She feared that he would walk away from her, but instead, he took a step back. His expression calmed, which tipped her off. His distraction worked as he kicked up the sword, gripped it, and went for a horizontal swing. She quickly braced her weapon forward and once the sword hit the lance, she felt the shock of his swing vibrate from her hands all the way down to her feet. She had to dig her heels to stop herself from skidding from the brute force and the muscles in her back cried out from the impact. It was bad enough that Mozu had to take a knee and several deep breaths.

“Ready to give up?” he said, looking down at her. She replied only with a determined look as the sting slowly ebbed away. At this rate, she thought, they could possibly open again. “What do you hope to accomplish?” he said rhetorically.

“I want you to talk,” she said, shutting her eyes as she used the lance to lift herself off the ground with wobbling arms and legs. Again, she felt lightheaded and could hear the headache throb in her ears. “Or…or fight, at least!”

Xander scoffed and lifted his sword. “You really think you are in condition to fight? Look at you!” he said. “Do you know what would happen we if we continued?” Mozu did not merit that with a reply. He growled in frustration and lifted the sword over his head. She winced and braced herself, but felt nothing. He dealt a fearsome blow against the training dummy, splitting the wood and hay right in half. As the loud crack banged against her ears, she gasped and leaned against the lance like an old woman with a cane.

Yet, that did not scare her. “Tell me what you’re afraid to say!”

“There is nothing to be said.” He dropped his sword then circled her. She could not move but did not break eye contact. “You seem to think that you are still whom I once thought you were,”

“That’s ‘cause I am!” she said, directing a quick thrust at him. He dodged out of the way as she tried for the other side. “Nothing has changed!”

“Everything has changed! You are no longer a princess and no longer my betrothed!”

“So? I wasn’t before!” she said, needing to take a step back to calm the throbbing once more.

“That hardly matters!” he said. She tried to hit him with the blunt pole, but he simply blocked it with his forearm. “Because you tricked me, I told you things I was never going to tell anyone else!” His footsteps told her to look up at him towering over her, his eyes sparking with fury and his face tight and clenched. “And you knew! You let me divulge and drop my guard, all for a pauper!” Again with the pauper or the peasant talk. She stared him down, even from the shrinking height she posed. “Your presence does nothing but rub salt over my wounds.” She attempted another jab, but he caught the pole in his hands.

“So you hate me!” she said, trying to tug it away, but he used an iron grip this time with both of hands. Truth be told, saying that aloud did not help her at all. She could not blame him, of course, but almost did not believe it, like she was denying it. “Is that it?” Xander grit his teeth and pulled the lance towards him. There it was! He could not answer her, again! “Tell me!”

He did nothing but suddenly shove the lance towards her in an effort that the force of it all would push her back. With barely any support in her legs, Mozu felt the full blunt of that force hit her chest and she was sent back, hands letting go of the lance. As she fell back, she caught his eyes widening as the both of them realized what would happen next.

Landing on her back felt like jumping on a bed of spears, gorging her skin. A quick, yet blood-curdling scream ripped from her throat as she felt unable to move. Her breaths were wheezy and panicking as she could no nothing but stare at the ominous sky.

“Gods…” he breathed. “Oh, gods!” She heard Xander’s footsteps rush over as she tried to keep herself from choking on her frantic breaths. He knelt beside her as his torso loomed over and she could clearly see his face. Worry colored his eyes as he gently slipped his hand behind her neck. She didn’t feel like moving at all, but she did know that she had to get her bare back off the dirt. A hiss escaped her as she sucked in air through her teeth when Xander gently lifted her off the ground by pushing up from her neck. He supported her head as she looked up at him, her eyes blurry and entire body still throbbing. With a sudden clap of thunder, the rain finally began to pour. Yet, neither of them reacted as it beat against his back and trickled down their faces.

“Unfortunately,” he said, his voice mellowing from his anger, “I could never hate you,”

Relief swelled through her body as she regained the courage to talk. “Xander…” She knew it was risky to refer to him by name, seeing as of how she was of lower class, but it didn’t feel right to call him by a title. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to care. “I am…I am so, so sorry for making you feel this way. I-I won’t ask that you forgive me.”

He helped her sit up on her knees, at least, and turned her in a way so he could block most of the rain. “I may never grant you forgiveness. That…that doesn’t bother you?”

She shook her head. “You…you were right.” She felt another lump in her throat form as she had to come to terms with her own truth. “I…I knew the entire time, a-and it wasn’t fair to you at all.” She held her arms, sniffling as she felt the cold breeze. “I don’t know if I even tried…”

“…tried to what?”

She managed a small smile. “To not fall for you.” His face turned surprised as the words left her lips. Mozu felt a burden lift off her shoulders as she told him, even though nothing would come of it. She quickly recalled back to the night where she saved him in the forest, and just before bed, she had decided that despite everything that could happen to her, he was worth it. Her heart swelled, realizing it to still ring true, even now.

Xander’s expression turned humbled as he hung his head. Finally, and strangely, she heard a small chuckle from him. He lifted his head, rubbing the back of his neck. “The frightening part is…I think…” She held her breath, waiting for his response. “Despite everything I did, I don’t think I tried at all to fall for you…but it happened anyway.” Her eyes widened and butterflies released into her stomach. He waited for her answer, but she just felt like mush on the inside. Her eyes grew hot and her stomach warmed, despite the cold rain running down her cheeks and neck.

Finally, she mustered all of her strength and cried, “You dummy!” as she fell onto his chest. Xander let out an “oof” when she collided with him and shut her eyes. Her fists lightly jabbed his chest as she half-yelled at him. “You didn’t have to say that! I just…I just!” He gently put his arms around her, mindful not to press against her back.

“Yes I did,” he said. “You were right too…keeping my anger and emotions inside caused me nothing but pain, and you almost suffered for it.” His hand ghost over her back as he held the back of her neck.

“You…you mean it?” she asked, trying to laugh to hide her shaky voice. It didn’t work, and she sucked in her bottom lip before Xander lifted her chin with his finger. He tried to give her a look of comfort, but it was hard to see with the rain beating down on them.

“I mean it,” he said, pushing some wet strands of her hair back. “I would not say it if I did not mean it. And…” he frowned, “And I know you may not forgive me for this, but I…I am so sorry that I did not speak up at all.”

With the rain rolling down her back, she could feel the cold pricks press against her wounds, stinging her for sure. Yet, her discomfort was the last thing on her mind. Her mind was blank, yet filled with memories and thoughts about him, about them. As she felt his finger on her cheek and his arm around her waist, her life flashed before her mind’s eye. She remembered the repetition of each day in her village until it burned, then she remembered the days that she served Sakura in Shirasagi. She remembered Sakura asking her to come with her to Nohr, asking her to pretend to be her. She remembered meeting Xander for the first time, remembered waking up and seeing his face. Finally, she remembered telling him the truth, breaking their hearts, spending three days in the dungeon, and now…

It had all led up to now. It had all led up to meeting him. The staggering realization wrought a mixture of petrifying and blissful waves throughout her body. Her little heart couldn’t take it, and instead of acting happy, she let out a whimper. She shut her eyes so she wouldn’t see his expression when hot tears ran down her cheek. Some part of her shook in disbelief when she put everything together, yet she bit her lip to stop herself from making sobbing sounds. Xander did not gasp or worry, and instead, he pressed his thumb over her eye to wipe her tears. “I’m sorry…I’m nothin’ but a crybaby lately,” she said as he lifted her chin up further and she opened her eyes. “I really d-don’t wanna…it’s just…it’s just--,”

She had prepared a dozen other excuses to explain why she was crying, but she found herself cut off. Xander had bent over while she was talking and she hadn’t noticed. He had lifted her chin up high enough so he could easily lean his head down. Before the words could escape her throat, his lips pressed against hers until they melded together into a gentle, sweet kiss. In that quick second, Mozu’s eyes widened and as the warmth of his kiss filled her with absolute joy, from the heart all the way to the tips of her fingers and toes. Yet, it was too quick, as Xander had pulled away from the kiss quicker than he had given it. He still held her cheeks in his palms, but he looked slightly hesitant, as if he wasn’t sure if he’d made the right move. Mozu, starry-eyed, looked into his eyes of violet, seeing the warmth and comfort in them once again. Her hands slid up his chest until she reached his shoulders, holding them gently. She lifted herself up a bit on her knees to press her forehead against his. Seeing nothing but his eyes, she watched them go half-lidded as hers did the same.

Slightly parting her lips, she welcomed the next kiss as he tightened his grip around her waist and pressed gently against the back of her head. She melted her feelings for him into the kiss, turning her head to better fit their lips. With ease, his arms lifted her off the ground and pressed the weight of her body against him, making it so he did not have to arch his back to reach her as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

Xander and Mozu stood here, letting the storm beat down as much rain on them as it could. Neither of them minded nor cared, because finally, they had found each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW. I hope you all liked that! First things first, about Xander's and Leo's duet, I decided to base it off one of my favorite compositions and you can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ye03Gu2dHA Hopefully you have fun listening to it as I did.
> 
> As always, thank you thank you THANK YOU for all of your kind comments and words on the previous chapters. I'm so sorry that I took such pleasure reading your comments from last chapter. I can't thank you all enough for sticking with me through this and I hope to continue delivering a great story.


	13. Dawn Will Come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fast 17pg update for ya'll! I know I've been spoiling, but it's because I wanted to crank out as much as I could before college starts up again OTL. Though, it will get more fun from here on out. This chapter is quite slow, meant to give you a breather before things to come. Nonetheless, there's a good deal of fluff and feelings talk that I hope you enjoy. Thanks again for the lovely comments and kudos! It really helps me write~ Enjoy!

**Dawn Will Come**

 

It felt like an eternity before the two pulled their heads away, foreheads leaving each other first before their lips parted, creating that small, cute kissing sound. Their eyes slowly opened and met each other under the still beating pour of the rain. Mozu reached into his hair, pushing some out of his way with a smile until a ghastly shiver wrought though her body. Xander’s eyes broke out of trance and he hurriedly made his way over to the shed, carrying her. “Goodness, I’m sorry,” he said, kicking open the door and letting them inside. He kicked it closed too and knelt down, the both of them creating a large puddle on the floor as they dripped from being drenched.

“I-It’s fine…” she said as she sat on her knees. She pulled on the soaked sleeve of her dress, making a soft noise of disgust. “We have to get out of these clothes.” As soon as the words left her lips, her cheeks flared red. Xander’s cheeks had only gone light pink, but it was enough to tell her that he was embarrassed too. “I-I didn’t mean it like that!” she shouted. “I just-“

“I-It’s okay…” he said, clearing his throat and rubbing his neck. “B-but you are right, so, maybe I’ll just…” He stood up and looked around the shed. She watched him walk around the room, inspecting the cabinets and racks. Finally, he stopped on a nearly empty rack of weapons and dragged it with a grunt.

“D-do you need help?”

“I got it!” He pulled it between them to act a partition of solid wood and it was long and tall enough to work. “Okay, there should be some garbs in here we can use…” A smile crept on her face as she heard him open and close cabinets. She peeked out from the rack since neither of them had disrobed yet. “Ah, here we go,” he said, finding a cabinet with trainee garbs.

“Not to be picky, but uh…you wouldn’t happen to have anything with an open back, would you?”

“An open?...ah, right.” He sighed and pulled out a long shirt that would fit her like a short dress. “Maybe I can just…” He pinched the top of the back and Mozu watched him tear a line straight down the back. She was impressed, if not surprised how easily he did that. “Will this do?” he asked.

“I think it will. Gosh, just like old times, hm?”

“Just like old?- Ah, hah.” He chuckled as he knelt down to hand it to her. “You’re referring to the time where the princess had laced up your dress too tight and I had to, well, rip it open?”

“Mhmm!” she said, taking the garment from his hands. “Though, really, I might have accidentally done to same to her.” She thanked him quickly before turning the corner to hide behind her partition.

“Do you need help?” he asked from the other side. Mozu’s cheeks went red again until he stuttered. “A-actually, I didn’t…”

“It’s fine!” she said with a quick laugh. She put her hands on her sleeves and glanced behind her, making sure he couldn’t see. She heard him shift and walk about until he kicked his boots off. Gods, he would be undressed completely in a matter of seconds and she would too. The both of them would be! Mozu thought of what would happen if she accidentally peaked- wait, no! She shook her head and bit her cheek. Suddenly, she heard the belt unlatch and her eyes bugged out. Oh goodness, and now she could hear the pants shimmy off as Xander sighed in relief. She heard the thud of wet clothes hitting the floor and Xander taking a couple of steps.

_I’m stuck in a shed with the crown prince and he’s…definitely naked on the other side of this weapon rack._

Mozu sighed deeply and accidentally rested her back against the partition. She yelped from the quick sting and sat up. Xander spoke. “Are you alright?”

“Wha? Oh, yeah!” she said, turning around to see the rack. “I just…I’m fine!” She bit her cheek and slipped her sleeves off of her arms, shimmying the dress down to her ankles. Feeling much better from relieving her skin of wet and heavy clothes, she took the dress, her underwear, and shoes, spreading them out on the wood so it could dry better. As she went to sit back up, sharp stings spread through her back. Something must have happened when she fell earlier. She reached her hand back, sliding a finger along one of the edges of her wounds and brought it back for inspection. As she feared, blood shone deep red on her fingertip and she knew now that the drips down her back were no longer water. Quickly, she whipped her head around, looking for something she could use. “Ah…uh…Xander?”

“Hm?” he said. “Is something wrong?” She heard him take a footstep forward.

“W-wait! Uhm…uhm, I think…I think my lashes reopened.” She took the torn garment quickly and put it over her torso. “D-do you think there’s some other cloth I can…?”

“Just a moment!” he said, walking back to the cabinet. Quickly, she pushed herself into the garment to get decent. Though, she had to keep tugging on the hem to remain that way. She heard him open a cabinet and rip another piece of cloth about three times. He sure liked doing that. Mozu crawled herself to the edge of the partition, assuming he had to be dressed at this time. She saw him wearing a simple tunic shirt of off-white and grey pants that seemed a tad too big for him. He turned and came back to her, kneeling down. “Here, do you think these will do?”

“Yeah. I just need to…” she took a piece of cloth from him and reached back. “To…pat it…so it doesn’t…”

“Goodness, Mozu, just let me do it,” he said. She looked at him with a sheepish look before realizing that he was right. She sighed, handed him the cloth, and sat with her back towards him. She felt him slide right behind her, two fingers holding open the tear of her garment. She winced as he lightly dabbed the cloth on her skin, patting away the blood. His touch wasn’t as gentle as Sakura’s, but she could hardly blame him. His skill was in fighting, not healing. Not too long into it, she felt a finger press against the outline of the topmost one, tracing it shortly. She thought nothing of it until he did it again to the second one and the cloth stopped moving. Mozu waited a while to see if he would continue working, but all she felt was the tracing of his finger.

“…Xander?” she asked quietly, as to not surprise him.

He stopped his finger with a deep sigh, his tone low and somber. Finally, he said, “I did this.” Mozu slowly turned her head towards him, getting a glimpse at the frown on his face. “I should have known…I should have been more careful.” He hung his head in shame as she turned her body now so she could comfortably look at him.

“But…it had to happen,” she said, putting her hand on his cheek. “I knew what could happen if I fought you, but I did it anyway.”

“…Yes,” he said, lifting his head up and taking her hand on his cheek. “Because you care. Your own words, right?”

“Mhm.” Xander chuckled, putting his hands on her shoulder. He set her back to the way she sat earlier so he could continue his work. By this time, the stinging had dulled a bit, and she could tolerate his cleaning a little more. “I-I’m sorry that you have to do this…”

“Don’t apologize,” he said. “As I said, this was my fault,”

She pouted as he reached her lower back now. “It’s still not right. I mean, you’re a…” The word seemed caught in her mouth. “…A prince.” Xander slowed his hand. “And I’m just a handmaiden,”

“…True…” he said, setting his hand down altogether. “Did you think about that when you came to me earlier?”

She rubbed the back of her neck. “I mean, I knew. Of course I knew, I just…” She sighed, using her hands to turn herself this time. “I didn’t think it mattered at that time. I was just someone trying to help you.”

He tipped her chin up with a soft smile. “Then I am the same,” he said. “For now, in here, we can simply be ourselves.”

Mozu hid a soft giggle behind her fingers, then put her hand on his. She took it in hers, intertwining their fingers. “How long will it last?”

“Until the rain ends,” he said, looking up. “Knowing Nohrian storms, we might be holed up until the morning,”

“Just until morning, hm?” she said, pressing her lips into a thin line. “…And then?”

“…And then we go back.” His eyes drooped in gloom. “Back to fulfilling our duties. And since this…interferes with our duties…”

“I know,” she said, sparing him from finishing that sentence. She felt her throat close as the realization slowly dawned on her. Like her feelings, their situation was something she could not help. A future together was nonexistent and she would only be in the background of things. She would be the one to care for Sakura as she lied in Xander’s bed, perhaps waking up or feeling ill. She would be the one to assist in the birth of their child, their heir. Bathing, feeding, rocking. All of these, she would do for a child that she would wish to be hers. It would only be a matter of time before she witnessed Xander falling for Sakura. Mozu was a handmaiden and a pauper, and the future would continue to remind her of that. With a shaky voice, she whispered, “I know…”

“Come now,” he said, cupping her cheek with one hand. “I know it’s frightening for you, but it is for me as well.” A stray tear ran down her cheek so he used his thumb to gently press it away. “I don’t want to spend what little time we have just being afraid of what’s to come.” She nodded, knowing him to be right. She inhaled through her nose, trying to calm her body from nearly crying again. Once she deemed herself stable, she opened her eyes.

“It’s okay,” she said, managing a small smile. “I knew longer than you did that this couldn’t last. At first, I thought I should stay away before I made it worse, but then…” She softly laughed, “I figured I didn’t care about how long I had. You’re…you’re worth it, Xander.”

A hint of pink dashed his cheeks, but barely. Still, Mozu knew that with Xander, less was more. He chuckled, pushing some of his stray curls and strands back. With a soft, yet humble voice, he said, “you flatter me,”

“But it’s true.” She reached up to fix his damp hair a little. “Ya know, I thought you were gonna be all snooty and stiff, but you were the opposite. You have a big ol’ heart.” She poked him gently in his chest. “And I know a country gal like me doesn’t know much about writing or operas, but you made them so simple to enjoy,”

“Ah, uh, of course. True art should be admired by all,”

“You don’t like me gushing about you?” she teased.

Xander held his hand up in surrender. “Forgive me… I-I’m not used to it. At least, not when it’s sincere.” A corner of his mouth tugged into a smile.

“Well, it’s true. Even though you’re a prince, you’re your own man…and that’s what I really like.” She smiled too, looking right into his eyes. “It’s like…everyone knows Prince Xander, but there’s just ‘Xander’ too,”

“Hm…that’s a nice sentiment,” he said. “To be honest, I was always afraid of marrying a woman who wanted to use me for status. So,” he said, smirking, “have you any desire to be queen?”

“Me? Oh gosh no!” she said with a laugh, waving her hand. “I’d mess everything up on day one! ‘Sides, I’m not into the fancy partying or the big dresses. They ain’t worth riskin’ me screwin’ up the country.”

“It is quite a heavy burden, isn’t it?” he said with a deep sigh. “I’ve spent most of my life preparing to become king.”

She situated herself so she could rest her temple against his shoulder and he put his arm around her, again, mindful of her back. “What was that like?”

“You really want to hear this?” he asked. “It might seem so frivolous to you,”

“That’s why I wanna hear it,” she said with a grin.

He shrugged and took on a more casual voice, one that fit best for long storytelling. “Well, since I was a boy, there were two crucial skills I needed to develop early: riding and swordplay. I’ve been in the saddle and wielding a hilt longer than I can remember. Once I came of learning age, I had my daily lessons of etiquette, literature, arithmetic, what have you,”

“And those are all really big words for?...”

He laughed. “Manners, reading, and math,”

“See? That’s easier,”

“They ingrained the vocabulary in me, I’m afraid. Oh, and of course, music,”

Mozu gasped. “Music? Oh! So you can play an instrument like Sakura?”

He spoke with pride. “All Nohrian royals are instructed in music. Father chose the piano for me, saying that it was the king of instruments and I simply had to know it.”

“Piano…” she said, sounding it out. She didn’t think that Hoshido had pianos, or maybe they did, and they were called something different. “Do you like it?”

“It’s a beautiful instrument, and I’ve come to appreciate the skill greatly, but oh…” He shook his head. “My tutor was a mad man, and come to think of it, perhaps that is why my father hired him. He was stricter than the king!” She laughed as he lifted his hands, his wrists relaxed and his palms open. “I will be perfectly happy if I never have to shove oranges in my hands and stare at them again,”

“Hm? Why?”

“To play, your hands have to be like this. If my hands started into a claw, like this,” and he demonstrated, “he’d slap my hands,”

“What a jerk,” she said. “He didn’t get in trouble?” He shrugged. “Wow…so you just did all of this up until…now?”

“Mostly. I spent a great deal of time with my father and it wasn’t until I grew older that I could start the day at my own pace and I could spend time with my siblings. Of course, I have more responsibility, but I can take care of those in my own time,”

“I see.” She nodded softly, understanding just a little more about him. From the way he said it, he didn’t have as much of a childhood as he was groomed from the start. No wonder.

“I’m done talking about myself,” he said with a sigh. “How about you?”

“What about me?”

“You must have had quite a life to end up here. Certainly more interesting than mine,”

Mozu bit her lip. “Ah…I dunno,” she said, twiddling her thumbs. “R-really, it all came down to…uhm…” She frowned and furrowed her brows. “That one day…”

Xander paused, his expression sobering before he pressed further. “You’re referring to the day your parents…?” She nodded once. “I see…I won’t pry further,”

“No, no! It’s been so long that it’s okay.” She reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze. “It’s not a very long story…”

He squeezed her hand back.  “You have my undivided attention.”

She inhaled through her nose again, calming to prepare for her story. “Well, before that, I was just an average farmer. I got up when the rooster called, tended to the fields and animals. On some days, I’d go into the woods and hunt when necessary,”

“Explains how you killed that bear,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m still incredibly impressed by that,”

“Awe, it’s nothing much! I mean, it is scary, but when you do it often…anyway, that’s what life was like. Then, one day, my ma told me to go fetch water from the well that was a little far off. It’s quite a hike. On my way back, I saw…” She swallowed thickly. “I saw black smoke from my village. I rushed over as fast as I could and saw just in time some Nohrian bandits making off with our food,”

“Pardon me for asking, but, how did you know they were Nohrian?”

“The clothes, mostly. Also, none of the weapons they left behind were Hoshidan either.” He nodded, accepting the answer. “Everything had become ash, even my house. I found my parents around the area…they had arrows in them.” Her voice choked a little. “And their bodies were charred. I don’t know if the fire or arrows killed em first…hopefully the fire.” She dug her fingers into her legs, trying to hold back the negative feelings that came with the story. “I dragged ‘em over where our house used to be and buried them the best I could, and anyone else whose body hadn’t turned to cinders,”

“…By yourself?”

She nodded. “Then, I took whatever crop we had left that wasn’t all burnt, put it in a crate and went to the Hoshidan capital.”

“Wait,” he said. “How did you get there?”

“I walked,” she said, lifting an eyebrow.

“You…you walked…carrying a crate of food…to Shirasagi?” He looked a mix of puzzled and surprise.

“Y-yes!” She laughed at his surprise. “What else was I going to do?” He rubbed the back of his neck as she continued her story. “I finally get there to sell the castle the rest of my food. I figured I could use it to find a job, find a new home. I did that for a couple of days, camping out in the outskirts. Though, by sheer dumb luck, just as I was about to leave one day, Sakura had come in with her retainer. She caught that I needed a job and when she asked where I was staying, I told her that I didn’t have a home yet. Right there on the spot, she took me in as her handmaiden,”

“Ah, and that is how it started?”

“Yeah…” she sighed. “I was so grateful that she happened to be at the right place and the right time that I worked extra hard to make her happy. She ain’t picky or snobby, though, so she was easy to please and really nice!”

Xander reached his hand over, pushing some damp strands of her hair back. “I have to say…I was quite shocked to hear that such an atrocity happened to your village…and it is our countrymen who are to blame,”

She blinked in surprise. “You don’t seriously think that it’s your fault, do you?”

“But it is,” he said, resting his fingers against her cheek. “Because of our neglect, we couldn’t supply our people with enough food so they would not have to resort to robbing our neighboring country and places like your village wouldn’t have to suffer.” She closed her eyes, pressing her lips into a thin line.

“I…I think the sad part is that if those bandits had just asked, my village woulda helped them.” She sighed, opening her eyes again, and pressed herself a little more into Xander’s chest as he rubbed her shoulder. “B-but that’s why we have this treaty, right? To help you and your people out,”

“Yes. And you know the importance of seeing it through,”

“Mhmm…I wouldn’t wish what happened to my village on anyone. Hopefully, we can stop these kinds of things from happening.” As she finished her story, Mozu yawned, drowsiness settling in on her eyes.

“Are you tired?”

“A bit…” She shook her head to wake herself up. Anything to impede the morning. “I’ll be fine. Just…tell me another story,”

He chuckled. “I’m afraid there are no interesting ones left, really,”

“Just tell me something!”

“Haha, okay, okay.” He cleared his throat, his eyes fixed in deep thought for a moment before he opened his mouth to speak. “I had a dream one night ago…”

“Mhmm…”

“Though it perplexed me in the morning and left me crushed, now is as good time as any to find the silver lining in it.” That peaked her interest, and she adjusted herself to a more comfortable position, her eyes not leaving his. “Before I awakened from sleep, I had dreamt that you were beside me, waking when I did.” Her cheeks flushed red, but she kept silent out of pure intrigue. “Or…maybe a little earlier. You were looking out the window.” His brows furrowed as he turned his head away. “It felt so natural, as all dreams do. I think…that is what I feared,”

Mozu’s heart beat against her chest, anxious to hear more about it. “…What happened next?”

“Nothing,” he said somberly. “I had reached out to you before awakening. And…and I recall I had an intention…to kiss you.”

Starry-eyed, she gazed up towards him. Her eyes glanced at his lips first before reading the rest of his expression. Poor Xander. He must have been so frustrated for the past two days, his desires blocking his ability to perform his obligations. For that, his features turned stiff in frustration, even now that they could at least entertain their feelings. Still, she imaged his dream in her mind and couldn’t stop replaying the part where he reached out. He could have gently directed her chin and kiss her that way or maybe he could have taken her arm, pulling her for a deeper, passionate kiss. She pursed her lips, pressing some moisture against them as a shy hand crept towards him. She put her fingers on his cheek, pulling his head so he could look at her. His eyes kept glancing down, making her think that he was staring at her lips too. Her voice hushed. “Kiss me how?”

He blinked twice, as if trying to process what she asked. Her gaze was fixed and her lips only slightly parted, waiting for him to answer. Instead, the arm around her shoulders lowered, bringing her down with it. Careful not to dip her too low, Xander took her hand and put it on his shoulder, using the movement to lean in. He came in faster than last time that she barely had time to close her eyes before he kissed her. Her eyed went half lidded, then closed as she ran her fingers through his gold curls. He smelled of the natural earth when rain hit the ground with a hint of citrus from his daily washes. When she ran her fingers over his back, she could feel his taut muscles underneath the fabric of his shirt. She pulled away for air for a split second, her breaths short and miniscule compared to the roaring thunder and panging rain outside. Soon, she missed the warmth of his lips and returned to the embrace. A mellow and constant emotion of delight pulsed through her body with each second, making her wonder if this in itself was a dream. His hand quickly brushed over her back, and though she could feel its sting, the pain was dull in comparison to her bliss. Slowly, they pulled away, their lips still ghosting together for a second before coming apart. She didn’t open her eyes for a while, still trying to keep the ethereal dream going before facing reality. Finally, with an amazed whisper, she said, “Wow…” as she fluttered her eyes open.

He laughed softly, watching her dazed expression before he leaned in, kissing her forehead this time. “So surreal…is it not? Like looking into another world, another time…”

Her soft smile faded into a frown. She guessed that the subject had to come up again sooner or later. She shifted an inch away from him before speaking again, this time, her tone more solemn. “If only then, huh?” she said. “If it was a different world?” Xander sighed, his shoulders dropping. “But, if it was a different world, I don’t know if I woulda met you. I mean…we’re from two different kingdoms as it is.” She leaned forward, hugging her knees.

“Come now. I must admit, this predicament is…trifled with coincidences, but,” he said, tipping her chin up, “I believe that there is some divine play in here,”

“Divine?... Like the gods?”

“Even as a prince whose life is largely dictated and pre-ordained, fate often has a way of giving you the unexpected. Sometimes, it brings us fortune…” He took her hand. “But more often than not, it can also bring tragedy.”

Mozu squeezed his hand. “You mean…like my village?” Suddenly, something had clicked in her mind and she furrowed her brows. “So, are you saying that my village burned so I could go to Shirasagi, then come here, and meet you?”

“W-well, it might be more detailed and nuanced than-“

“But it did bring us here.” He closed his mouth. “A-and for what? Once morning comes, you’ll go back to being engaged and I’ll…well…”

“Mozu, forgive me,” he said, pinching his eyes in regret, “I did not mean at all to insinuate that your peoples’ sacrifice was in vain,”

She crossed her arms. “But you’re saying that they had to be sacrificed so I could leave, so I could move on…” She frowned deeply, looking at her knees. “I-if not for this…then for what?”

“Perhaps…you haven’t found it yet,” he said. “Perhaps even I am only a stepping stone to the life you are intended to life,”

She looked up, snickering. “You’re a prince…Like you’d ever be a stepping stone to my life,” she said, her smile returning. She lifted an eyebrow, tilting her head at him. “Xander…” she said, her voice soft. “You’ve…you’ve had tragedy too, right?”

His features softened as his lips parted for but a second. She saw his chest rise and fall with the breath he took. “…My mother,” he finally answered. “When I was a boy, I lost her to illness. In part, that created even more suffering for the nobles of Nohr.” She bit the inside of her cheek, listening intently. “My father had never loved another woman like he did with my mother. Needing more heirs, he resorted to concubines…” Now, his tone sounded bitter. “Nohrian woman from all reaches of life scattered to get his favor. If I recall quickly, I should have dozens of other half-siblings…”

“What!? Dozens?” she suddenly gasped. “Wh-what? Where?”

“Killed.” She quieted immediately, her lips pressed together. “I had it easy as I was a prince born to a king and queen but…” His eyes narrowed. “Camilla, Leo, and Elise were all born of concubines as well. Different ones. They all had insurmountable ambition to gain the king’s favor and bring their children closer to the crown. Many concubines…and many princes and princesses perished in those times before he dismissed all of the women who were left. My three siblings were the only ones to survive.” He hung his head a little before she reached up, rubbing his back.

“Goodness…I didn’t even know something like that could happen in a royal court,”

“Indeed, but it did. I vowed never to have concubines under any circumstance to prevent such a terrible thing from happening.” He shook his head. “As if my father had not grieved enough for the passing of my mother…for a while, you know, he became cold and distant. He made many foolish decisions in this time,”

“But he’s not like that now, is he?”

“Thankfully, no. He had finished grieving after a long while and decided that he would appreciate me and my siblings, for we were all he had left.” He chuckled. “And he went back to being the boisterous king of Nohr,”

“Mmm…” Her voice hushed a little. “Maybe…maybe your tragedy had to happen too, to show your father what he was missing. Heartbreak…” She took a deep breath. “Heartbreak makes us stronger…”

“…Yes, it does.” She went to open her mouth to speak again, but another yawn escaped her. “You’re fatigued, I bet,”

“No, no!” she said, patting her cheeks. The god of sleep had placed his spell on her a while ago, and she had resisted for too long. She shook her head before Xander put a hand on her cheek to stop her.

“I know you don’t want dawn to come…” She looked up at him, her eyes a little hot. “But it will.” He managed a smile to cheer her a little before putting his hands on the floor, lifting himself up. “One moment.” He went to a trunk and pulled out a blanket of wool. As he came back, Mozu laughed behind her fist.

“Why is there a blanket here?”

“Nohr gets chilly quite often. A quick access blanket is practically a necessity.” He lowered himself against a crate near them, leaning his back against it. He reached his arm out to beckon her and Mozu crawled into his arms willingly. He put the blanket around his shoulder, draping it around her too. “How’s that?”

“Nice and warm…but, are you sure you’ll be comfortable? I can’t be easy to sleep against a crate on the floor.”

He shrugged. “I’ll survive. Sleep,” he said, bringing her closer.

Mozu did not resist in obeying and she closed her eyes, leaning her cheek against his chest. His steady heartbeat and the softened rain calmed her, and soon enough, she found herself fast asleep like a newborn child. Sweet dreams pleasured her mind that night.

* * *

As she sat at her desk with tea still steaming, Sakura fingered the edges of her mother’s letter. For days, she had been doing this until the edges barely crumbled. This morning, the very existence of it plagued her again. Though, each time, she put it in the drawer because, though she was wary of Xander, she had little reason to risk opening the letter. She knew Mikoto would only write of things of utter importance and weight if they came with strange instructions like this. With an exasperated sigh, she opened the drawer and tossed the letter in. Sakura took her tea in her hands, letting the cup warm her cold palms.

She had barely left the room unless to eat or bathe, mostly because she was disappointed in the two princes. Though Leo had spurned more of her anger, Xander was not innocent either. Those who let evil happen without saying a word were responsible for its spread. Then again, he had stopped it, but Mozu still suffered. In her days of being a hermit, Sakura had done a little research after seeing such deep wounds on her handmaiden’s back. Nohrian whips were different than the ones used in Hoshido for livestock care. They were made in a messy way that the leather was unrefined, leaving spike-like patterns on it to give it lingering bite. No wonder that it cut her skin so easily. When she found out, she closed the book with a sour frown. Leave it to Nohrians to create such barbarous methods of inflicting pain.

She finished her tea and set the cup down, supposing she should leave for breakfast. She smoothed out her kimono and the shawl she wore across her shoulders before heading to the door. Once she stepped out, she turned to her retainers and greeted them good morning, informing them that she would be off to eat. Once again, they asked if she needed an escort and she always declined. As she walked down the halls of Krakenburg, Sakura thought of Mozu and if she felt better today. She would never rush her, of course, but she did miss her. She could really have used some of her amazing homemade Hoshidan dishes around here.

Lost in thoughts, she barely heard someone call her name from behind. Once her mind cleared, she distinctly heard Prince Leo call her name again. Her lips instantly curled into a frown as she turned around to greet him. She wasn’t one to keep grudges at all, but a lingering part of her still had not forgiven him. He slowed himself from running once he was a couple of feet in front of her. “Sakura, thank goodness I ran into you,” he said. “You…you haven’t reached out to me in three days,”

“…Sorry,” she said, not making eye contact. Gods, she was bad at being mad too. She should have lectured him and yelled, like Hinoka probably would have.

“You’re still upset about the trial, aren’t you?” he said, frowning himself.

“…No…”

“Really?”

“Mhmm…”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

“Okay, maybe I am!” she said, bursting in volume. “I just…I can’t understand how heartless one could be to someone who did nothing wrong!”

“Sakura, please,” he said, sighing. “Can...can we discuss this somewhere other than the hall?” She turned away. “Ah…you’re giving me the silent treatment?” She only nodded and crossed her arms. Behind her, Leo groaned in frustration. “Okay, well, I don’t have all day and this is ridiculous.” He took her by the arm and dragged her along.

“What? H-hey! Leo!” she said, utterly astonished that he would just grab her like that. Just because he was a prince himself! She tried pulling away, but his grasp was tighter than her resistance. He hadn’t dragged her far, only to the nearby sitting room. As the door opened and closed, she found herself fighting no longer. Truly, she felt pathetic at how passive she was.

“There, was that so hard?”

“I can’t believe you…” she said, her voice low as she rubbed her arm. “I thought Nohr was better than this,”

“It isn’t,” he said, walking past her to sit at one of the long chairs. Once he took his seat, he gestured to the one across from it. Reluctantly, she made her way over there, taking a seat, saying nothing. She looked up at him, trying her best to look resolved and strong, but she didn’t have the conviction she had three days ago. At this point, she might have looked like a nervous, pouting child and nothing more. Leo, though, had regality in his back pocket. He sat up straight with one leg over the other, and despite the casualness of it all, he still poised intimidating. “It’s obvious you’re still upset and you’re hiding out to avoid confrontation, but enough is enough.” His eyes narrowed. “Father arrives _tomorrow_ , and you haven’t even spoken to Xander since the trial. He will notice the lack of relationship between you two, which is strange because in his mind, you took a lovely one month trip together,”

“…So that’s why you’re here?” she said. “You j-just…want to forget what happened?”

“Essentially, yes.” She narrowed her eyes. “Honestly, there is little for you to be angry about…” He rubbed his head with a groan. “I heard that Xander had stopped the flogging before she even received ten. You know, don’t you?”

“Y-yes, b-but…”

“Yet another mess I have to take care of,”

“Y-yes, but!” She dug her nails into her own hands. “Th-that’s not the point, Leo…” Her voice sounded like she was pleading. “You forced her into agreeing into a hundred and fifty…a-and she did n-nothing wrong,”

“I _know_ she didn’t, but the law nor the public will see it that way,” he said, leaning forward in his seat. “Sakura, it would have been worse if I didn’t,”

“How?” she said. “How? Tell me,”

He sat back, clearing his throat. “Had I let her go, both Father and the rest of Nohr once they found out would be furious. A handmaiden from Hoshido disguised as the future queen goes home free? Do you know what the Nohrian law actually sentences those convicted of high treason?” She shook her head. “Hanged nearly to the point of death, then the judge can pick from beheading, quartering, dismemberment…you name it.” Sakura gasped, a chill spiking through her back. She actually put her hand over her neck, trying not to imagine any of those punishments. “And then, to display to the kingdom and world of their treachery, their remains would be put on display.”

She looked down at her hands, unable to imagine any such torture and agony in Hoshido. “How could you…” she said. “How could anyone deserve this?”

“Nohr isn’t like Hoshido, Sakura,” he said, his tone more somber. “People struggle to survive. People are desperate to live, and that drives them to do unspeakable things. Though we concoct terrible punishments for criminals, crime still happens because people don’t stop being desperate after a hundred lashes.” Sakura slowly lifted her head, realizing the weight of his last sentence. “It’s about time we addressed the root of the problem, and that is why you are marrying my brother, so Nohr can be given a chance to thrive like its neighboring kingdom.” Strangely, he managed a half-smile. “My brother put it best in his last letter. This treaty is like Hoshido sharing some if its light in our dark kingdom.”

“I’m…” She shook her head. “Xander wasn’t talking about me…”

“He might as well have,” Leo said. Sakura shrank back in her seat, holding her arms. She heard him sigh and watched him from the corner of her eye run his fingers through his hair. The air was quiet for a moment before Leo spoke again. “At the end of the day, Nohr needs you and specifically you.” She looked up, surprised at the compassionate tone he used. “What our kingdom needs is a healer, and not the kind that would cut out the infection all together. We need one that studies the illness deep into its roots to understand it. One who cares not just for the illness, but its patient too.”

She put her hand over her heart as if trying to feel it steadily beat. His words had dug themselves in her soul and even though he had not said much, she heard the volumes of depth in them. For one, he had been paying close attention to how she operated at the clinic when she was Mozu. Though she spent too much time on any one patient, she only did so because she needed the time to study, time to decide the best course of action, the best medicine. Even when their symptoms were vanishing, she still stayed to comfort them in their time of pain, stayed to give them courage. And Leo knew it. He didn’t have to say it, but he knew it.

Sakura parted her pink lips, speaking quietly. “Do you remember that day at the clinic?” she asked.

Without hearing anything more, Leo finished her thought. “The day you played the koto.” Her eyes blinked in surprise.

“Y-yes…” she said, nodding. “I…I hope you don’t think th-that I…d-did it to show off,”

“Gods no,” he said, chuckling, “I know you did it for the well-being of those patients. I know you were concentrating, but I was watching everyone else. Sakura….” He paused. “I think…I think you gave them something that most of them in there had not had in a while,”

“…A-and that is?”

“Hope,” he answered. “Something many of our countrymen have given up on.”

Sakura sucked in her bottom lip as she looked down at her hands again. Her knees buckled just thinking of the responsibility Leo had implied, but at the same time, she felt flattered. She truly felt more needed now than she had before. At first, she thought she would do nothing as queen and simply counsel Xander when needed and bear his heirs. Now, Leo had completely reversed that notion. Though she was sure Xander would be a good ruler, he couldn’t possibly do it alone. Nohr needed a gentle touch. Nohr needed _her_.

She looked up at Leo who was desperately waiting for a reply. She swallowed her fears and her grudge for him so she could speak clearly, no stuttering. “What must I do?”

“You…you’re asking me for advice?” She nodded once. Leo looked bewildered for a moment before regaining his composure. “R-right, tonight. Have dinner with my brother. Try…try to talk as much as you can, learn about him and let him do the same for you.” He waved his hand in conjunction with his words. “Establish _something_ to show to my father.” Sakura had quiet doubts that she could do that, but she had to try, at least. She could only hope for the best. She closed her eyes, nodding again as she stood up.

“Okay,” she said. “I’ll meet him tonight.”

She was about to leave, but as she passed him, he said, “Wait.” She did and Leo stood up too. “Sakura…” Hearing the unsure tone in his voice made her wary, so she turned slowly. “I…I am sorry.”

She watched him hang his head and immediately, she knew he wasn’t just apologizing for Mozu, but for tricking her earlier with the dragon vein as well. Strangely, it wasn’t like the Leo she had come to know in the past month. He was a prince that stood by his decisions, right or wrong. Because of that, he thought about them right down to the nit-picking details to ensure his success. Sakura knew he had thought long and hard about deceiving her and punishing Mozu in their own rights and she knew that in his mind, he hadn’t made mistakes about them. So, what was he apologizing for?

The realization dawned on her. It was less about his mistakes, but more about asking for her forgiveness. Before she thought anymore of it, she spoke what was on her mind. “I don’t think you are.”

He looked up, his features crunching in offense. “What?” he retorted, “How could you think that?”

She folded her hands in front of her. “Because I know you…because I know that you did those things because, above all, you love Nohr. You love your brother.” His expression softened. “At the time, you thought they were the right things to do, and maybe they were…even if they hurt.” She turned her eyes away. “And...maybe I should be saying sorry…for making you do those things in the first place.” She took another deep breath and looked back at him, waiting for a response. He shifted where he stood, crossing his arms as he thought of something to say.

“…Forgive me,” he said, head turning away, “I-I seem to be at a loss for words.”

His reaction earned a soft giggle from her, surprising the both of them. “I-I’m sorry too…I d-didn’t mean t-to blab for so long.”

He waved his hand. “You hardly blab,” he said, smiling. “Each word you say is thoughtful, and I can listen to them any day.” When the words left his lips, the two blinked in surprise as pink colored their cheeks. Oddly enough, she felt happy hearing the compliment from him. When was the last time she felt like this with Leo?

Ah. Right. The night they stayed in the lounging room drinking wine and water. The conversation flowed as easily as the drink did between glasses, but only because she liked him. And he liked her. In the sense that they were…friends? No, that didn’t sound right. Soon to be family didn’t sound right either. Gods, this was hard. Why was this so hard?

She suddenly remembered the crucial memory that neither of them wanted to recall. She remembered having an idiotic desire to _kiss_ him. Him, the wrong prince. Surely, he remembered too? She must have been out of her mind when she did, because even when he was drunk, he knew it was wrong, and he had no idea that she was the princess, his brother’s fiancée…

Maybe she should just blame it on the wine. Yes, blame it, and never mention it at all. She wasn’t sure if Xander was the jealous type, but she wouldn’t take any chances.

“Oh!” Leo said. “S-sorry, I-I just remembered. I should be on my way,” he said, walking past her to the door.

“H-huh? Wh-what for?” she asked, watching him.

“I-I should find Xander and…prepare him for tonight. W-well, first, I should find him. I-I’m sure he’d be…happy to see you.” She managed a weak smile. “…Okay, see you later.” And just like that, he dashed out.

Odd. Quite odd. Something was definitely wrong with Leo. Surely, he didn’t have the same lingering thoughts as she did, right? Though, she had much more to worry about than Prince Leo. After so long, tonight, she would formally meet the man she would marry.

* * *

Mozu awoke to the full consequences of sleeping the way she did with a crick in her neck and soreness on her back. Not to mention how her legs had fallen asleep. She was also quite chilly with no fireplace or space heater around to keep away the cold of the night. Yet when she realized whom she had awakened with, none of those things mattered. Delicately holding her against his chest, Xander had his head up, but eyes and lips closed. His breathing was faster than one of someone in deep sleep, meaning that he was probably already awake and resting his eyes. Once he felt her shift and move, he slowly opened his eyes to look down at her. In a voice that gently broke the silence, he said, “Good morning.” She replied with the same salutations before rolling her shoulders with a groan, rubbing the back of her neck too. “My apologies,” he said, mimicking her movements. “Agh…perhaps that wasn’t the best idea,”

“Yeah…” she said, with a sighing laugh. “Last time was better,”

“Indeed. The only bother was the claw wound,” he said, hand ghosting over where it was healing. “Enough about that, though. How are you feeling?” he asked, tilting his head a little. Mozu used her shoulders to feel the muscles in her back. It still panged when she stretched it, but not nearly as bad as when she fell on it, or when she actually received them.

“Better,” she said. “You don’t hafta worry about lil’ ol’ me.”

He chuckled. “And yet, I still find myself doing so anyway.” Before she could response, he put his hand on the crate and stood up to stretch his arms and back. When he tossed his back to stretch his neck, Mozu took the small opportunity to notice the lines in his shirt when his chest and muscles pressed against it. A part of her felt like a little girl for staring, but she was just so happy at the fact that she could. Without her knowing, a grin crept on her lips, rounding her blushing cheeks.

Memories of last night flooded her mind on repeat. Yes, she did get hurt, and yes, the rain was a nuisance. But they kissed. Twice! She held her hands together thinking about the dreamy second one that lasted for a long time. Her lips had memorized what his felt like and she could easily recall it as if she were back in time.

“What are you smiling about?” he asked, his voice genuine as opposed to the often teasing tone that came with the question.

That broke her out of her dream-like trance and snapped back. “Ah! Uhm…” She grabbed onto the crate to stand up herself. “N-nothing!” she said, dusting off the shirt she called a dress.

“…You don’t have to tell me,” he said. “I…I just like knowing that you’re happy.” He paused. “…Are you happy?”

She only needed a moment to think. “Yes,” she said. “I am.”

A smile tugged on the corner of Xander’s lips. Before he could comment, he looked around them, then up and down at the both of them. “I suppose that I’d be fine…but I’m sure you’d be mortified walking back to the castle in that.”

Mozu looked down and quickly pulled the hem of the shirt down until it reached just above her knees. He had read her mind; she wasn’t even wearing undergarments. Come to think of it, as she looked up at him, neither was he-oh, shut it! “Ahuuhm…L-let me go see if my dress is still wet.” She turned on her heel and hopped a bit behind the makeshift partition and knelt down. As she did, she heard him mutter something about leaving his shirt outside. She lifted her dress up and pressed her fingers against it. It still felt damp, no doubt from the lack of heat inside the shed, but it was wearable. Her underwear was completely dry, though, so she quickly slipped that on. She pulled the trainee garb over her head and tossed it on the floor. Then, she grabbed the dress and lifted it over her head, shimmying it down and straightening it out. Mozu looked over at her woven sandals too, putting her toe on them. They felt a little wet damp too, but they were wearable. As she slipped her feet into them, she looked at the weapons rack, as if trying to see through them.

The negative thoughts started when she realized that she would never have a night like that again. At least, not with him, and it was far too disheartening to imagine such a night with anyone else so soon. She hadn’t put much thought into what would happen after they left this shed. Mostly because _nothing_ would happen. Xander had expectations to fulfill with Sakura. He would be king and she his queen. Because of his honor, Xander wouldn’t let a handmaiden like her get between him and his wife. One of the very aspects of him that she adored kept them apart. Though, Mozu’d like to think that she had a sense of honor and integrity too. She wouldn’t fight for him either because she had already compromised Nohrian-Hoshidan relations as it is.

So from here on out. Nothing.

She crept from behind the partition to see him standing up from the crate, tapping in his boots. He hadn’t changed out of the trainee garbs, his pants neatly folded under his arm. She glanced between him and the door before gathering enough courage to say, “Are you ready?”

He lifted his head to look at her and straightened his posture. “Are you?”

It seemed like the both of them were avoiding the question. Though, maybe neither of them could be ready to face the music any time soon. As he skirted past her and put his hand on the knob, she spoke again. “Xander.” He paused to face her. “I…I want to tell Sakura.”

He stiffened visibly, brows narrowing. “…Are you sure?” he asked.

She nodded. “She’d understand…and keep it a secret too. I just…” she waited to sigh, “I don’t think I can look at her and not say anything.”

He relaxed his shoulders, knowing the guilt that comes from omission as well as she did. He closed his eyes with a sigh before opening them again. “Okay,” he said, turning the knob. “Then if she would know, then Leo deserves to know as well. If…if any action needs to be done, which I doubt, then he’d…he’d know what to do.”

Mozu bit her cheek, wondering if it was alright to trust Leo. Was there even a law prohibiting kissing the crown prince? Probably not, but if Sakura had a reason to distrust him, then so did she. Maybe. She nodded slowly as he pushed the door open, revealing the morning light. The scent of mud and mist hit her nose as he let the chill inside. The training grounds were sloppy with its dirt having been turned into mud. Xander groaned as he stepped through the mud and picked up the half-brown shirt he had left by the training dummy. Watching her step, but still dirtying her feet, Mozu half-giggled at the sight as she walked forward. “I’ll…I’ll go through the service entrance,” she said as he straightened his back to stand. “Which is…that way,”

“So we part ways here.” Melancholy set in her heart as she tried to remain strong in her stance and features. When he had said that, Xander had adopted his usual frown. Mozu half-wondered, staring at his lips, if he would grace her with a goodbye kiss. Probably not, after all, they agreed that they would stop in the morning. She took a step back and bowed, as a commoner would do for one of higher ranking.

“Goodbye…Milord,”

She turned around and so did he, and the two went off on their respective paths. With each step Mozu took, her heart sank a little more. It increasingly became harder to imagine a life where she had to watch him move on and care for another before her eyes, but it would happen. All she got out of it was realizing she may be the gods’ chew toy. First, they had taken everything she had in Hoshido. Now, all that remained in her life was Sakura. In time, though, she knew the princess would need her less and less as her life escalated to one fit for a queen. So maybe, the gods would take her away too.

If that was true, then what was left here for her in Nohr?

Maybe she wasn’t meant to be here anymore. Maybe she had fulfilled her role already.

Maybe it was time to think about leaving.


	14. Two Futures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, a three-day update? God I need to stop. I hope not, but we'll see since I start college again tomorrow! Hah, hence why I was pushing so much. Still, the next couple of chapters should still be easy to write =w=  
> Also, if you got any questions or wanna see some of the (few) PATP art, my tumblr is over here: sakialumei.tumblr.com (shameless self promotion)
> 
> As always, thanks so much for the amazing comments, the kudos, and views! We're close to breaking 3000 :D

**Two Futures**

 

After Mozu had eaten her breakfast and rested for a while, she was up in the hours of afternoon now. Now that she was feeling better, she felt strong enough finally visit Sakura. It had been days and she longed to see how her mistress was feeling. Not to mention that she had a confession to make…

Putting on an apron and headband, Mozu completed her work uniform and made her way to Sakura’s suite. As before, Charlotte and Benny were there standing guard on both sides of the door. She caught Charlotte’s eye as she came closer. “Charlotte!” she said with a smile as the fighter turned her head away.

“H-hi, Mozu…”

“I never got to thank you for the dress,” she said, smiling. “I…I really appreciate it. It’s helped me a lot.”

Charlotte's brows lifted before her expression softened and she made a genuine smile. “Ah…you’re welcome,” she said, twirling some of her golden locks around her finger. “I-I don’t know if you heard, but…you really helped me out with my mom,”

“Oh, right,” she said. “H-how was she?”

“Not too great…but the extra money helped me afford the medicine she needed. So…it was the least I could do,”

“It was the least I could do too,” she said. “I know…how important family can be.” Silence ensued, but only because the two of them could agree to that last statement. Charlotte sighed and shook her head.

She gestured to the door. “Go ahead.”

Mozu walked up to the door and knocked. Sakura had called for her to come in, most likely not knowing who it was. As she stepped into the suite, Mozu grinned. “Lady Sakura!”

The princess whipped her head from her desk and gasped. “Mozu!” she cried, practically jumping out of her seat. Mozu closed the door behind her and made her way to her mistress. Sakura took her hands, grasping them tightly before she bent over, pressing her forehead against them. “Oh, I’ve missed you,” she said, standing straight. “How are you feeling?”

As always, Sakura’s ever loving presence warmed her heart. “I’m fine now,” she said. “And ready to work! I’ve been like a sack of potatoes the past couple of days. Couldn’t stand it,”

“You needed your rest,” she said, her lip pouting a little. “You did rest…right?” Mozu nodded. “Ah…good.” Sakura sighed and let go of her hands. Mozu was never an expert at timing, but she figured that it was best to get it over with as soon as possible. She just needed a good opening to do it. Sakura took her hand again and pulled her over to her bed. “I have news,”

“Oh?”

“I’m having dinner with Xander tonight.” Mozu’s heart sank a little, suddenly remembering her own dinner with him. “A-and I have to try to get along with him as soon as possible.” She sat on the edge and gesturing for Mozu to take a seat too. “Could you help me, please?”

“Of course…” she said, voice trailing off. “Uh, with your clothes?”

“With him,” Sakura said, squeezing her hand. “What do you like best about him?”

Mozu wasn’t sure if that was a joke or not, but she laughed anyway. Judging from the flat look on Sakura’s face, it wasn’t. Oh boy. She folded her hands and twiddled her thumbs. “G-gosh…there’s so much to say…” she said. “I’d probably talk your head off!”

“It’s fine,” she said, her voice calming. “I…I want to hear all of the great things about him that I wouldn’t know from first glance.”

Except Xander wasn’t meant to be taken at first glance; he couldn’t be read like an open book. She remembered how long it took him to even tell her of his harmless writing hobby. She cast her head down, speaking softly. “I can’t tell you much, Lady Sakura,” she said. “The best things I learned about Xander were things he revealed to me in in time,”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“He’s…reserved,” she said. “I don’t think he had a lot of opportunities to talk about himself freely ‘cause he was too busy learning to be a prince.” Sakura’s eyes widened, leaning forward. “S-so…he doesn’t know really when or where is the best time to talk about himself. Even small things about him, he treats intimately.”

“Ah…” she said, nodding her head softly. “D-did he tell you that?”

Mozu shook her head. “I kinda figured it,” she said. “He…he told me how he had been workin since day one to be a prince. I think…most people won’t ever get past Prince Xander and find the real Xander inside…”

“Wow,” Sakura sighed. “So…do you think you did?” She leaned a little closer. “Find the real him?”

“Hah….” She put a hand over her pink cheek. “Not all of him…there was so much I wanted to learn about him,”

“Maybe…maybe I could tell you? The better I get to know him?”

The thought of Sakura knowing Xander better than she did pricked at her heart. “N-no…I don’t think it would be right,” she said. “A-after all…that’s why I’m not telling you the details…r-right?”

Sakura nodded, putting her hand against her chest. “You’re right…” she said, looking down at her lap. “Mozu?”

“Yes?”

She had to strain to her Sakura’s voice. “I-I’m scared…I-I know you really, really liked him, but…” her shoulders rose to her ears as she squeezed her own hand. “What a-are the chances that we l-like each other the way y-you did with him?” Mozu created a long, thin line with her lips. Earlier, she had been convinced that Xander and Sakura would hit it off great because they were both likeable people, but she hadn’t considered the spark. Yes... the spark that made him look heavenly when she woke up after the dress debacle, the spark that made every conversation meaningful, the spark that fueled that wonderful, wonderful kiss.

It doesn’t happen often, so what were the odds?

Mozu reached over, patting Sakura’s shoulder, absent of any comforting words. Though, the way Sakura reached up and took her hand, her eyes not making contact, Mozu thought that the question was now rhetorical. Just something to think about. In the silence that followed, she thought about telling her now about their night. It felt cruel to do it while her spirits were low, and she almost considered staying quiet altogether. In the end, she figured Xander’s sense of honesty had rubbed off on her, and she knew that there would be no good time to tell her. It was like ripping off a bandage.

“Lady Sakura.” Her voice was firm, yet quiet as the princess directed her attention to her.

“Yes?” She straightened her back. “What is it?”

Mozu sighed deeply, wondering how far back she should start. “L-last night, I was going to bed. B-but then, I found Xander training below at such a dark hour. I could tell that something didn’t feel right, so…so I went down there.” Sakura kept completely silent, her expression unchanging. “W-we fought. He vented all of his anger out…and he accidentally hurt me.”

Sakura gasped, speaking in a frantic voice. “What?! Where? H-“

“My back.” Sakura shrunk herself back, trying to calm. “I-it was an accident…like I said. H-he…accidentally pushed me away and I f-fell b-back.” Both pairs of eyes turned pained. “H-he came over, worryin’ his head off ‘bout me. The rain started to pour too.” Now the hard part. Mozu balled her hand into a fist, her nails digging into her palm.

She must have been silent for a while, because Sakura asked her in a hushed, “And then?”

Mozu turned her head away a little, unable to face the eyes of her mistress. “I…he…we kissed.” A slow, quiet gasp escaped from Sakura as Mozu could see her put her hands over her mouth from the corners of her eyes. Sakura reached for her arm, shaking it a little.

“Y-you did?” she asked. Much to Mozu’s surprise, Sakura’s voice sounded less distraught and more…excited? She turned around to see her expression, eyes wide with curiosity instead of disbelief. “C-can you tell me about it?”

Mozu half-laughed. “Y-you…you aren’t mad?”

She looked down briefly. “I…I don’t feel mad,” she said, coming back up.  “I g-guess I should, but…” Sakura waved her hand and shook her head. “No, I’m not mad. I just want to know.” She smiled at her so earnestly and her eyes were so warm and kind that Mozu could not resist. She adopted the same cheeky grin as the happy memories flooded her mind. “H-how…was it?”

She let out a dreamy sigh. “It was…I could still feel everything else. The rain, the pain in my back…but compared to the kiss…” She closed her eyes, feeling the ghostly warmth on her lips. “I could only feel the kiss.”

Sakura put a hand against her own cheek, tilting her head and gasping softly. “Wh-what happened after you kissed?”

“Well…” she said. “W-we went inside the shed to escape the rain. Stayed there all night.” She blushed again. “We uh…talked. Talked a lot. H-he told me about a dream and…” She held back from squealing. “We kissed. Again.” Sakura gasped again. “I-I know, I know…they were just so…so…”

“Magical?” she finished.

Mozu nodded. “Yes…magical.” Even though that magic was gone, she could still revel in its golden memories. A part of her never thought that she could be happy thinking about it again. As quickly as she realized this, Sakura’s smile faded into a frown as she cast her eyes down. Now, Mozu felt the weight of her sin press against her chest. She made everything worse, practically bragging to her that she could never have that golden kiss with Xander. She slipped her hand over Sakura’s, trying to show support.

“…Thank you,” she said. Sakura stood up quickly, folding her hands. “I…I think I will study a little more,”

“Study?” Mozu asked, standing up as well. “D-do you want me to come with you?”

“No,” she said, holding up her hand. “I just…want some time to myself.”

Her chest tightened under her shirt and felt sore in the back of her throat as she reached for her. “Lady Sakura,” she said, taking her hand. “I…I didn’t mean to make you feel this way,”

“I know you didn’t. It’s not your fault,” she said, looking down at her shoes. “Please, I don’t want you to worry…” She took a step back, slipping her hand out of Mozu’s. “W-would you mind cleaning up a bit…in the meantime?”

Mozu opened her mouth to say something else, but she thought it best to give her some space. She watched Sakura leave her room and when the door closed, Mozu’s shoulders dropped. She slowly sank to the floor, holding her knees. Gods, why did she tell her. Why did she think this was at all a good idea? She probably destroyed all hope that Sakura would like him after she spoke how much he cared for her, giving her such kisses.

An ominous thought loomed over her head. What if she had done it on purpose.

No. She couldn’t think that way. After all, Xander was so sure in his conviction that he’d marry Sakura even if he hated her. In time, maybe he would even come to hating her too. That was a world where Mozu couldn’t live in, one where Sakura and Xander were miserable all because of her.

* * *

When Xander had returned that morning, he was greeted by his retainers who had been searching for him throughout the night. Their eyes were droopy with bags and they yawned often in their speech. Needing some rest himself, he dismissed them to rest and took a nap in his room well into the hours of the afternoon. After he slept off his fatigue, a knock at his door awoke him. He fluttered his eyes open with a groan and rubbed his head, sitting up from his bed. “Come in.”

The door opened and he was not at all surprised to see Leo walk in. His brother lifted an eyebrow as Xander sat up, rubbing his neck. “You were asleep?”

“Long night,”

“Mm…the training dummy is broken. Was that you?” Xander nodded. “I suspected.” Thankfully, Leo didn’t press further. “I have some good news,”

“Oh?”

“Princess Sakura agreed to have dinner with you tonight,” he said. “I thought you two could catch up on things before Father comes tomorrow.”

“Ah…” he said, rubbing his eyes. “Forgive me…you’re always cleaning up the messes, aren’t you?”

“It’s what I do best.” Xander looked at him. “I hope you’ll allow me to continue once you’re king,”

He chuckled. “Perhaps that is when I will need you the most.” Xander slipped off the bed, stretching out once again. He had to admit that he wasn’t sure how well this dinner would go. His mind was still muddled with memories of last night. Even now, as he awoke, in that veil of time between dream and reality, he still remembered her face. He couldn’t believe someone so simple entranced him like an endless puzzle.

He had to get his mind off of her.

He walked over to the water basin in his room to wet his face. “Leo,” he said. “You spent time with Sakura, did you?”

“…I did.”

Xander splashed some water in his face to wake him up and then reached for the nearby towel. “What can you tell me about her?”

Leo scoffed behind him. “What couldn’t I tell?” he said. That was a strange response. Xander pat the towel around his cheeks as he turned around, intrigued. Leo didn’t seem to have noticed his surprise. “I guess…she truly has a heart of gold and a mind of platinum.” The younger prince paced around the room. “She is a remarkable healer, no doubt from her intelligence and willingness to help people. Yet, she is still humble and polite, if not to mention shy.”

“Huh,” he said, putting the towel back. “Seems to me like you’re quite taken.”

Leo stuttered, scratching his head. “A-ah, I didn’t want to…no of course not!” he said. “F-forgive me…I seem to have gone a tad overboard,”

“It’s okay,” he said, walking over to him. “I know…I know that you’re trying to mend this, but this is about us too.” He put his hand on his shoulder. “If…if Sakura and I are meant to be,” and just saying that staked a dagger through his heart, “then conversation will flow.”

Leo frowned, his tone bitter. “And if it doesn’t?”

The hand on Leo’s shoulder tightened. “Nothing will change, Brother. You and I have every privilege in the world in exchange for dedicating ourselves to our country. This is why…this is why we must marry whom Nohr needs.”

Leo looked down, making no effort to retort back. With a heavy sigh, Xander took his hand away and turned towards his armoire. “I will be there,” he said. “You have nothing to worry about,”

“I hope not. Well…Godspeed, Brother…” Leo turned on his heel and made his way to the door. Xander contemplated telling him the details about the night, but he resisted. Perhaps, if the dinner really did go well, then maybe it was unnecessary. Though, he quickly realized that in any direction the dinner went, disappointment was sure to follow through. Either from realizing he had nothing to say to Sakura, or realizing that Mozu hadn’t meant anything at all to him.

Hours passed and it became time for him to dress and make his way downstairs. He didn’t spend too much grooming, feeling it unnecessary. He remembered that on the night of the first dinner, the one with Mozu, he spent at least an hour. Not out of vanity, but out of nerves. Once he deemed himself decent enough for a formal dinner, he paced to his door, putting his hand on the knob. He stopped to breathe deeply before opening it. Peri had been standing by the doorway with that childish grin of hers. “Lord Xander!” she said as he closed the door behind him. “You look good. Are you ready to go?”

“Yes.” No.

Peri turned on her heel and hummed as she escorted him down the hall, towards the stairs. “So the chefs told me they’re cooking a nice pig for you two! I wanted to help, but they got scared when I pulled out the big butcher knife…ah well!” She giggled. “Next time, I’d be happy to prepare a nice meal for you two, Milord.”

Xander startled himself out of thought. “H-huh? Oh. Thank you, Peri…”

“Oh, and I’ve been meaning to make some sweets lately. I know you don’t like sweets a lot,” she said. Apart from strawberry shortcake, he thought. It was a good thing Peri didn’t know, otherwise, she’d fatten him up by secretly making it each night. “But I bet cute princesses like her do…hmm…”

Xander used Peri’s incessant talking to try to ease his mind, and it worked up until they reached the door to the dining hall. He knew he was the first to arrive, as it should be, but he still felt nervous walking up to the door to let himself in. He looked back to Peri who titled her head and gave him a big thumb ups. He managed to curl a corner of his mouth into a smile, but it didn’t last. Xander let himself into the room and closed the door behind him. As he looked around, déjà vu fogged his mind. The fireplace was warm and crackling the same way, the table set with the castle’s best silverware. He had half a mind to practice what he would say like he did last time, but it felt…useless. Besides, this dinner had no innocence behind it. They were here merely to learn about each other to put up a face for Father tomorrow. At this point, if they managed a decent conversation, that would be a victory in his book.

He walked to his chair, rubbing his hand over the wood carvings of its top. Last time, he had paced the room, but he felt no such anxiety now. Time passed shortly and a knock came from the door. He turned his body and straightened his back, watching the door open. Dressed in a stark red and gold kimono, Sakura took one, then two steps inside. His negative thoughts vanished from his mind, but not for a good reason as she made her way closer, the door closing behind her. She spoke in a shy, yet formal voice. “G-good evening, Prince Xander…”

“Good evening…Princess Sakura.” He bowed to her quickly before walked to her chair, pulling it out. “Care to take a seat?” She nodded and walked over to him, her footsteps barely sounding. As she sat, he tried to gauge his own emotions and feelings, but he realized he was drew a blank. As he sat in his own chair, he suddenly remembered that he forgot to kiss her hand, but somehow, that didn’t seem right to do anyway. She sat with her back straight and hands folded neatly in her lap, turning only her head to face him. Everything on her face was blank, except for her eyes, looking helpless as they strained just a bit to keep her look fixed on him. “H-how is your evening so far?”

“Good…I guess…”

“That’s…good.” Xander turned away a bit, placing his fist right under his chin. He didn’t notice his finger lightly tapping on the table as he dug deep into his mind for a conversation starter. Well, she had spent adequate time in Nohr. Perhaps that would work. “So,” he said, catching her attention. “What did you do while I was away?”

“Here?” she asked, her voice a little more confident. “Oh, I actually uhm…s-spent a lot of t-time with your…brother…”

“Leo? I think I gathered as much.” he said, trying to smile. “He…seemed quite fond of you when I asked about you,”

“H-he did?” she asked, pink dashing her cheeks. “Wh-what did he say?” She put some of her hair behind her ears, but it only fell back to frame her face. He noticed the little tick, but decided not to look into it further.

“He spoke of your intelligence and kindness. In fact, his exact words were…what were they…ah! ‘A heart of gold and a mind of platinum.’”

She put her fingers over her lips, trying to stifle her giggle. “Wh-what? Th-that doesn’t sound like him…”

He lifted an eyebrow. “And how would _you_ describe the way he sounds?”

Sakura rolled her shoulders back, relaxing against the chair, sighing as she looked up. “He’s very eloquent. He chooses his words carefully…” Her lips faded into a smile. “But he always sounds practical. He would often criticize the romantic prose in some Nohrian history books because they distracted the reader with bias. He said that we had to learn from history's mistakes, and we can't do that if they're unwritten.” Xander’s eyes widened, impressed with how easily she broke him down. He took note that she hadn’t stuttered once when describing him either. When she turned her head back at him, she must have noticed his reaction. Sakura immediately sat up straight and looked down at her hands, her cheeks darkening. “S-so…th-that’s why I thought that it w-was strange that h-he s-said something so…so poetic.”

“…Strange indeed,” he said, narrowing his eyes a little. As he took a moment to figure out how to follow up, the door knocked again. He sat up as butlers walked in to serve the food for them both. He eagerly looked upon the pig that was set down in the center, feeling famished after having skipped on lunch. And breakfast. Goodness, did he forget to eat? As the butlers excused themselves, he looked to Sakura. “Please, serve yourself.”

She thanked him quickly before pulling the bowl of Brussel sprouts to herself. He watched her, scratching his cheek, as she filled up a little less than half of her plate with them. Right after, she leaned over and plopped a big pile of potatoes onto her plate. He assumed that she would fill the rest of her plate with pork, but she instead started to cut the sprouts into bites. Xander narrowed his brows as he reached over to the big knife in the middle of the pork to cut himself a slice. “Shall I cut you some?”

“That’s fine,” she said, finishing up her cutting. “I’m…I don’t like a lot of meat.” Of course, no wonder she’s so delicate. Xander placed his slice on his plate before reaching for the sprouts that he was never too fond off, but knew that he needed them anyway. As he served the bare minimum portion, he watched her eat slowly, taking small bites like a rabbit. As he started to cut his slice into smaller pieces, Sakura looked over at his plate too. “No potatoes?”

“Not today,” he said, not watching what he said, “I love them. Eat 'em enough and I’ll start growing a gut,”

“…Oh…” she said, looking down at the sizable amount that she had served herself. Xander wanted to slap himself after realizing what he could have just implied. He immediately put a slice of pork in his mouth to shut himself up. Sakura cleared her throat as she picked a little at one of her sprouts before popping that into her mouth as well. In the silence, Xander had never hated the sounds of his chewing more than now. “Ah…” she said, once her mouth was clear. “I-I was reading up o-on some of N-Nohr’s history…”

“Oh?” Oh thank Gods. Maybe he could go somewhere with this.

“I-I wanted to ask h-how King Adalbert managed to p-pass the e-embargo when N-Nohr needed the r-resources.”

His mind drew a blank. “Adalbert? Y…you’re sure?”

“Mhmm. The Embargo Act? I-I just r-read it so…”

Gods, why couldn’t he remember. “G-goodness…” he said, trying to hide his embarrassment with a laugh. “I seem to be unable to recall…” He rubbed his temples. “Embargo…embargo…my apologies, Princess,” he said, shaking his head. “I am afraid that I’m not caught up as much as I should be…such a shame…”

“O-oh, I’m sorry…” she said, putting her utensils down, “I-I didn’t mean to e-embarrass you,”

“I’m sure you didn’t…” He cleared his throat also, barely cutting his next piece adequately. When he put it in his mouth, he noticed that it was too big and made one of his cheeks protrude. To save face, he turned his head away and put his hand over his face to mask himself.

Tonight had gone from slightly good, to slightly bad, and now worse. They couldn’t even get through the small talk.

Finally, Sakura set her fork down, startling him. “Xander…m-may I ask you something else?”

He swallowed his piece, wincing as it slowly crawled down his throat. He coughed a little, sipping some of his wine to ease it. “O-of course…”

“Do…do you have any doubts?” she asked with a meek voice. Xander set down his cup slowly, trying to ease his shaking hand. Was she referring to the letter? Gods, she had to be. This was it; he could blow it or nail it.

“Certainly not,” he said, not even thinking about his answer. He narrowed his brows. “…Do you?” His heart pounded anxiously waiting for her reply. He felt his chest tighten as she looked back at her food, a frown on her face. Don’t say it, don’t say it…

“Not at all.” Whew. “At first.” Shit. “N-not because of a-anything in particular but…”

“But what?”

“This doesn’t feel right,” she said, turning to him. “Y-you feel it too, d-don’t you?”

His eyes looked pained. “It doesn’t matter what I feel. I…we have an obligation to fulfill.”

Sakura frowned. “We will _always_ have obligations to fulfill. It’s…it’s okay to think about ourselves too,” she said, trying to sound comforting. “And…what we want.”

He balled his hand into a fist, struggling to get his next sentence out. “I…want to…marry you.” Somehow, he didn’t sound convincing and she took notice, looking even disappointed. “…Do your doubts lie with me?”

“N-no…yes,”

Desperation hinted in his voice. “Then whatever it is, tell me, and I’ll fix it, correct my mist-“

“Xander, please!” she said, startling him. “I…I know!”

“Know what?”

“How you feel about Mozu.” His heart sank. “I…I know that you kissed her too.”

Those words alone made him feel crushed as he put his head in his hands, groaning through his clenched teeth. He knew Mozu would tell, but he never expected for Sakura to use it against him like this. Gods, this could ruin everything. Hell, it probably already did. What could he say to make it better? Lies. More lies. “Sakura,” he said, his voice strained. “I am…so sorry…”

“Don’t be,” she said, her voice soft, trying to be sympathetic. “You…you really care about her?”

“Sakura…i-it doesn’t have to be like that. I had sworn off seeing her this morning…” And it was hard to walk away.

She shook her head. “It’s not that…” she said. “I-I’m not angry with you.” She reached forward to touch his arm, but she pulled her hand back at the last second. “I just…I had to know how you felt.” She squinted a little. “There’s…pain in your eyes.” He looked away. “Xander…I know you said no to having concubines, but-“

“No.” Resolution had found itself in his voice as he sat straight, feeling some of his blood boil. “I won’t do that,”

“W-why not?”

He turned to her seeing that she was genuinely asking. Poor thing had no idea of the travesty that came with the practice. He had known from history that his father’s mistake was not the first. “It would disrespect you, her, and Hoshido if I did that. You…neither of you deserve the kind of divided attention that comes with splitting your feelings between your queen and concubine…” He cast his head down, voice thickening. “You would constantly be reminded that I would never hold the same feelings for you as I did for her…and she would just be stuck here, unable to do anything else in her life because I would lock her in a cage for myself, never giving her a life she deserves.” His mouth curled into a sneer. “Taking concubines is a gods-awful practice that I could never subject anyone to.”

From the corner of his eyes, Sakura had lowered her gaze away. His shoulders dropped with a heavy sigh as he looked at his half-eaten plate, suddenly not hungry. He dared not move in the silence as he anxiously waited for Sakura to say something again. It wasn’t as if this couldn’t be worse.

Suddenly, she stood from her seat, wiping her lips with her napkin before setting it down. “It’s true what she said.” He slowly lifted his head, fearing what came next. Sakura greeted him with a soft smile, causing him to narrow his eyes in question. “You really are honest and honorable.”

The statement caught him off guard, enough to not notice that she had already made her way halfway to the door. He stood too, calling out, “Princess Sakura?”

She turned her head. “…Thank you for dinner,” she said. “I’ll…see you tomorrow.” He reached out and opened his mouth to get her to stay, but he lost the will at the last second, figuring there was nothing he could say. He had done it. He had ruined everything. His hands twitched with the desire to release his tension and he saw the wine glasses in the corner of his eye. Ignoring any inhibitions, he grabbed those and smashed them on the floor, the sound of shattering glass booming in the room. It was loud enough for Peri to gasp on the other side of the door and open it.

“Milord?” she asked, peeking in. “Are you…?” Staring at his hand and hearing his noisy breaths, Xander straightened his back and clenched his teeth. Not wanting to spend another moment in the room, he turned around and lumbered towards the door. Peri let him through before he shoved into her, presumably from how intense he scowled.

He barely had a minute to walk by himself when he saw Leo run towards him. Even as he slowed, Xander kept walking. “Hey!” said his brother, trying to keep up beside him. “What the hell happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,”

“You’re going to have to,” he said, eyes narrowing. “Will you stop walking for a minute?”

“No,”

“Father is going to be home in less than a day now, and all you-“

“That’s all you care about, isn’t it?” he said, unaware of his words. Leo scoffed in offense. “About cleaning up the messes I make?”

“Xander, if you would just _tell_ me-“

He paused and felt the twitch in his hand again. To spare Leo’s crummy face at the last second, Xander grunted and punched the nearby wall. He felt his hand jolt in pain as the sound startled his brother. He took a step back with a soft gasp. The shock had placated some of his anger, enough to allow reflection. “I…I messed up…”

“…It’s okay,” he said. “Please, just tell me…”

Xander took his hand from the wall, wiping the dust off his knuckles. Now was as good a time as any. His scowl softened back to his perpetual frown as he turned towards his brother. “…Last night, I kissed her.”

Leo’s eyes widened. “K-kissed who? M…M…?” Xander nodded once, watching Leo’s chest slowly rise from the breath he took. He pressed his lips into a thin line, hands twitching as he looked around. He grabbed Xander’s arm, gripping it like steel as he dragged him to a nearby sitting room. Xander half-expected a lecture when Leo shoved him in and closed the door behind him.

He turned around slowly, nodding his head at nothing in particular. He looked Xander in the eye, twitching a little as he tried to restrain himself for a second. Suddenly, he waved his hands in frustration, and Leo’s indignant voice was hushed, perhaps so no one could hear what came next. “What the fffuck!” he said, most of his rage conveyed through his hands. Honestly, it took Xander a while to process that Leo had dropped such profanity at this time. Though, it might have been necessary in this case, and he dropped the idea of calling Leo out for it. Leo let his arms fall at his sides, scoffing again before they came back up. “You did _what_?”

“Is it so hard to believe?”

“Gods, when!” He put his finger up, pausing to take a breath through his flared nostrils. “…When…where?”

“Last night…the training grounds,” he said with a sigh. “…And the second one inside the shed,”

“WHAT.” Xander held his hands up in surrender as Leo groaned loudly, putting his hands through his hair. “Oh Gods, Xander!” He gritted his teeth. “What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t,” he said, his eyes narrowing in offense that Leo would think it was such a terrible thing. “…I didn’t need to,”

“Except, you did! Gods…is that why Sakura left early?”

“You knew?”

“I saw her walking down and went to see y-that’s not important!” he said, shaking his head. He looked back to him, enunciating each word. “Is that why she left?” Xander lowered his arms, nodding once. “Oh gods, oh my gods…” He paced around, constantly pushing his hand through his hair. Xander crossed his arms, bewildered as he watched Leo unravel before his eyes. His usually calm and collected brother now glared daggers at him each time he made eye contact. He could hear him mumble under his breath, but he could not make out a single word. Something was not right.

“Why do you care so much?” Xander said, effectively stopping Leo in his tracks, but his body still trembled.

“Why…” he said, his voice low yet dangerous, “Why do I care?” Leo laughed with an edge, presumably to mask his true emotion. “Because for some reason, you can’t stop thinking about that handmaiden! Are you even aware how extremely blessed you are when you have such a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent princess betrothed to you, just _handed_ to you on a silver platter!?” His voice jittered with resentment as he pointed an accusing finger at Xander. “How blind can you-!“

And suddenly, they both gasped. Leo slapped his hand over his mouth, staggering back. Their eyes widened as Xander also took a step back.

“…Oh my gods…” Xander breathed. It all made sense, everything that they said about each other. He could hear the admiration in their tones and the wistful looks in their eyes. Pity glossed over his eyes as he watched Leo’s eyes bulge at him, his hands tremoring. “Leo…”

His voice choked a little. “I’m…I’m sorry…” he said, slowly pulling his hand away. “I-I don’t…”

Xander narrowed his brows. “You…you have feelings for Sakura?”

Leo’s shoulders jolted, the question shaking him to his core. He bit his bottom lip and cast his gaze down, definitely thinking long and hard before he answered. Finally, a meek “Yes” came from him. Xander felt his body sway back until his shoulders hit the wall. Leo let out an exasperated sigh as he dared to speak up. “S…Strong ones.”

Now Xander felt like whispering profanities under his breath. Instead, he tried to focus on calming his headache and shaking fingers as Leo made heavy steps towards him. He said nothing as Leo leaned against the wall next to him, rubbing his arms. Slowly, they turned towards each other, then back to the wall in front of them. With deep sighs, they slid their backs down the wall and sat on the floor. Xander rubbed his temples as Leo spoke, his voice defeated. “So…you…have strong feelings for the handmaiden?”

“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “And you have strong feelings for…my fiancée,”

“Yes…” Leo leaned his head up with a deep groan. “I’m no better than you,” he said, “I…tried to kiss her once.”

“What?” Xander exclaimed, whipping his head.

“Okay, okay!” Leo said, putting his hands up. “This is when I thought she was Mozu. I…I had a lot of water and wine, mostly wine, b-but I knew that I liked her…I think.” He groaned and rubbed his forehead. “But…I couldn’t go through with it…”

“…Because of your previous engagement?”

“…Barely,” he said, voice mellowing. “I think…I think it mostly had to do with the wine. If I was ever going to kiss this girl, I’d want to do it when my thoughts weren’t muddled,”

“How noble of you.” Xander rolled his shoulders a little, staring out the window in front of them. Neither of them had lit the candles in the room and relied solely on the moonlight outlining their features. Knowing that he couldn’t spend too much time to his own thoughts, Xander spoke again. “She’s going to read the letter.”

“I figured,” Leo said without a shred of surprise in his tone. “Well…what a wonderful mess this has turned out to be,”

“Indeed…” They sighed in unison. “Think we can persevere through it?”

“Only one way to find out…”

After a second of silence, Xander groaned and slapped his forehead. "Oh, of course how could I forget the Embargo Act of...gods dammit!"

* * *

Mozu had spent most of her time tidying up Sakura’s room, humming a little ditty under her breath. Her full strength hadn’t come back, so she took every opportunity to sit and work, but it barely bothered her. She carefully dusted and organized everything for her mistress, leaving the armoire for last. She organized her clothes and shoes, even the small accessories too. Now, she sat at the edge of the bed, fixing a small tear in one of the obis. She wasn’t a great tailor like Prince Takumi’s subordinate, but she did teach her a trick or two, just enough to get by. As she carried on and hummed in tune with her sewing hand, the door suddenly opened. “Lady Sakura!” she said, standing up. She noticed the dejected look in her eyes.

“H-hi…”

Mozu tossed the kimono away and rushed to her. “Oh gosh, wh-what happened? Did it…not go well?”

Sakura clasped her hands and took a deep breath, her shoulders rising and falling. “Mozu,” she said. “Th-there’s something I need to t-tell you…t-to show you.”

“What is it?”

She gestured for her follow her to the desk and she opened one of the side drawers. Mozu recognized the slightly bent letter that Sakura pulled out, but she knew nothing of its sender. “This,” Sakura said, presenting it, “is from my mother.”

Mozu gasped. “F-from the queen?”

“Yes. She told me not to open it…unless I had doubts about my engagement.”

She pressed her clasped hands against her chest. “A…and do you?”

Sakura nodded once, walking over to the bed. “I…I had for a while, b-but I didn’t think they were enough to o-open the letter.” She sat on the edge. “Then…y-you told me about the kiss. I-I went to dinner and…” She shook her head. “And everything about it…I…I need her words.”

“Gosh…” she said, sitting opposite of her, staring at the letter, suddenly fearing what it had to say. Sakura handed the letter to her. “Wh…what? L-Lady Sakura-!”

“Please?” she said, her eyes wide like a puppy’s. “I…I want to hear it out loud.”

Well, if she was going to open it already… Mozu sighed, knowing it was futile for her to resist. She took the letter in her hands and carefully unlatched the seals. She took out the parchment, recognizing the level of handwriting as she unfolded it. Swallowing thickly, she read it to the best of her ability, trying not to stutter.

“ _My Dearest Sakura,_

_“As I have taught you before, the future is ever-changing from what we believe it will be. Though we may believe in one thing, the gods may often have other plans in store. For the first time in many years, I have had…two…visions...”_

Mozu and Sakura quickly exchanged glances of surprise before Mozu went back to reading.

“ _I saw you in one, wearing a Nohrian dress of white and gold. You walked slowly, head cast down. I felt such sadness coming from you and the prince down the aisle that it nearly made me weep…. That is, until the second vision._

_“I saw you in another, wearing a traditional white kimono as you walked down the aisle with a spring in your step, eager to meet your prince. A-and though I could not believe it, your b-brother walked you down the aisle, matching your smile...”_

Sakura had a shiver in her quiet gasp as she put her hand over her mouth.

“ _Before you left, you had convinced yourself that you could not be happy in Nohr. Now, I hope that you see that you can choose whatever future you desire. Though the road may be hard or arduous, and I know not how long it will take you, you can find happiness. You… have my blessing._

_Your loving mother, Mikoto of Hoshido.”_

Mozu lowered the letter onto her lap and looked at Sakura, trying to read her reaction. She gawked at it with parted lips as if it was an impossible puzzle. She couldn’t blame her for it either. Without warning, their world had turned upside down, if she had read the implications correctly. What they both believed in for months suddenly didn’t have to come true, as crazy as it sounded. If Sakura could be happy, then that should be great news, right? Somehow, it didn’t feel that way. Mozu reached a hesitant hand towards her, speaking in a hushed voice to not startle her. “L-Lady Sakura?...”

She said or did nothing for half a minute. Then, she slipped her hand over the letter, fingers pinching the top. Mozu let her take it away from her and she watched her read it over, her eyes going back and forth as her lips mouthed the words. Once she reached the bottom, Sakura lowered the letter to her lap, her expression still perplexed. “She…”

“Y-yes, Lady Sakura?”

“She… says that I will be h-happier with…with Prince Leo.”

Mozu held back any noise of surprise, realizing she hadn’t asked who the other prince once, figuring that it was metaphorical. Yet, if Sakura had known the answer instantly… “Do you think you can be?”

“Be happy? W-with him?” Sakura ran her fingers through the same lock of hair over and over. “I-I don’t know…”

“Do you even _like_ him?” Mozu asked.

Sakura’s brows lifted as her hands finally stopped, lowering to her lap. Mozu watched her gaze towards the door, her eyes yearning. She lifted a single finger to her face, sliding it over her bottom lip. Just like that, the question turned her from a babbling brook to a princess with rosy cheeks and a wistful look. “Do I… After everything that he…?” she asked herself in a low voice. What Mozu wouldn’t give to see what was in her head right now. Sakura cast her eyes down, bringing herself back as she turned her head back to her. “But he’s…”

Mozu waited on the edge of her seat with baited breath for Sakura to answer. Instead, she looked down to the letter and lifted it once more. She pressed the paper against her chest with a deep sigh that ended with a soft smile. “Just…maybe…”

Seeing her blissful look was enough to answer the question for Mozu, but another stung in the back of her mind. If, crazy enough, Sakura pursued Leo, then what would happen to Xander?...

 


	15. Woman's Intuition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaand at twenty-five pages, we've got our most mouthful chapter yet! Who allowed this to happen jfc. This chapter is a mouthful before the next one which is slow...and then the action picks up after that one. I hope it's not too over the place and confusing. Well. It probably should be but EH YOU'LL SEE.
> 
> ALSO, time for some shameless self promotion. I wrote a Xander x Mozu one shot riiight over here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7944586  
> It's a Gods and Goddesses AU with some...steamy times...if you want that.  
> Okay, enough about that! Enjoy this really stuffed chapter!

**Woman's Intuition**

 

Windmire roared with drums and cheers as Garon and his procession paraded down the streets. He rode his horse with his chest out and chin held high as he waved and smiled to his citizens. Beside him were his two daughters. Elise rode on her trusted mount, laughing and waving to everyone as Camilla looked down at the parade from her wyvern, handing out cheerful smiles. Behind them were their retainers and the army that returned home as heroes to their families.

At the entrance of Krakenburg, the three remaining royals stood, awaiting the king’s arrival. Xander and Leo had dressed in full armor attire, symbolizing the power of Nohr as they stood proudly overlooking their people. Sakura had her best kimono on with her hair out of her face and tied back in crossing braids. She fidgeted in her place next to Xander, looking ahead to watch the parade inch closer and closer. Thankfully, the uproar had dulled her mind, but her heart pounded against the tight fabric. Her throat felt dry and she kept rubbing her hands together. At times, she’d glance at Xander from the corner of her eyes, but he kept his eyes fixated straight ahead, brows narrowed and lips fixed into a tight frown. She wished she could see Leo on the other side, just to see if he was doing the same.

Garon’s parade finally reached Krakenburg gates and came to a stop. The king and princesses dismounted, leaving their mounts behind as they walked forward.

All in all, Sakura was surprised to see such diversity among the three of them. Garon was not particularly tall, but stout and wide. His skin was pale and wrinkled, not a shred of handsome years left in him, but he smiled all the same. Beside him, a young girl about Sakura’s age had skipped her way forward, blond pigtails bouncing behind her as she kept a cheery grin. Finally, she nearly gawked at the tall woman who walked with a sway in her hips, heels clicking against the stone. Luscious purple locks followed behind her like a silk cape as she kept a more reserved and dangerous smirk. Leo and Xander bowed once Garon was close, so Sakura curtseyed to the best of her ability in the kimono, waiting for him to speak.

The first thing Garon did was extend his arms and laugh heartedly with his aged, guttural voice. “Ah! My sons!” he said as Leo and Xander straightened their backs. “Finally, I can see you again. And you!” he boomed at Sakura, nearly making her flinch. “Princess Sakura…my deepest apologies that I could not greet you myself when you arrived. Please tell me that Nohr has treated you well in my absence,”

“A-ah…uhm…” Her head bobbed up and down. “O-of course!”

Garon lowered his arms with a chuckle. “Good! I’d like you to meet your future sisters-in-law. Camilla?”

The tall woman took a step forward, leaning over to make eye level with Sakura. Instantly, she could smell the sudden whiff of lavender and roses from her. Sakura stammered as she tried to read the emotion coming from the only eye that was not obstructed by her hair. “P-pleased to-“

Cutting Sakura off, the woman wrapped her arms around her shoulders, pulling her to rest her head on her ample chest. “Awe…” she said, her voice velvety and warm. “There, there. No need to be so formal.” Sakura couldn’t cease her nervous giggles as the woman stroked her hair. “We’re going to be family, so just know that you can count me, okay?” she said, pulling away. “Just call me Camilla, darling.”

“C-C-Camilla…n-n-nice to m-“

“Hey!” cried the young girl, her lips forming a pout. “I wanna hug my new sister too!” Without any warning, the girl had nearly leaped onto Sakura, causing her to make an “oof” noise. “Yay! I’m so happy! We’re gonna be best sisters!” she said, pulling away, but taking her hands. Sakura’s mouth kept open as the girl blabbed on. “I’m Elise!” she said, “We’re like the same age, right? Hooray! I never had someone my age that I could talk to or have sleepovers with or play-“

“Elise,” came Garon, his tone chastising. “That’s quite enough. Let’s finish this inside.” On his command, the rest of the royals followed him inside the gates to the front door.

On the way, Leo spoke up. “So, Sisters,” he said, “how was Cheve?”

Camilla sighed, putting her hand on her cheek. “Ohh…” she said, her voice drawling. “It was so much fun. I put so many naughty little rebels to bed…permanently.” The way she said the last word caused Sakura to shiver.

“Yeah!” Elise said, her chipper voice greatly contrasting the sensual tone of Camilla’s. “And I got to save so many of our soldiers! I learned a lot about healing. Hey! I think I'm ready to try my hand at some magic, so you better prepare to teach me, Leo!” So she was a healer too? Maybe they could get along that way, Sakura thought. Though, she wondered if such an energetic girl like Elise would be too much for her.

“Yes,” Garon said, gathering everyone’s attention as he led them down the hall. “The two of them certainly made Nohr proud. And now…” he turned around at the end, looking down towards Sakura, “we have a chance to make it better.” His smile faded into a slight sneer as he directed his small, black eyes towards his son. “Xander!” he barked. “What are you doing?” Sakura looked behind her to see him straighten his posture, expression blank other than his frown. “Come here and stand next to your future queen! Let me see you two together!”

Rose painted her cheeks, more out of nerves than shyness, as Xander shuffled his way past his siblings to stand next to Sakura. He cast his eyes down at her as his brows gave way to a quick look of pity. Though it faded quickly, Sakura knew that neither of them wanted to be there. Garon guffawed again, walking up to them. “What are you doing?” he said, putting his hands on their shoulders. “Get closer, would ya?” In a sweep, he pressed them together so their arms awkwardly bumped into each other. She wanted to fall into a hole right then and there.

“F-Father…” muttered Xander, his frown deepening.

“Gods,” he said, pulling his hands away and onto his hips. “There is no need to be so shy! C’mon, let’s see a kiss!”

In that instant, Xander, Sakura, and Leo had all shouted a quick, “What?!”

Garon sputtered into more hearty, wheezy laughs, resting his hands on his knees. “Goodness!” he said between breaths. “I didn’t know it was THAT bad, hah!” He waved his hand as Sakura sighed in relief, the red in her cheeks fading. The king cleared his throat, standing straight with his hands behind his back as he spoke in a more subdued tone. “Alright, now that the fun is out of the way, we need to resume the wedding planning immediately. Sakura, dear, could I trouble you to do a dress fitting today?”

“N-not a-at all…” she said, voice frail.

“Good. Then in two days, I want this wedding to happen. You are all dismissed. Ah, Camilla, a moment?”

Sakura bowed quickly and turned her head towards Leo. Their eyes had met, reflecting the aftershock of Garon’s juvenile kiss request. Come to think of it, he had shown surprise to it too. Did that mean he didn’t want it to happen either? She lost her thoughts as Elise yanked on her hand, pulling her away. “C’mon!” she said, dragging her down the hall, “I’ll take you to the dressing room!” Sakura had no will to resist, but she did briefly catch a glance at Leo walking the opposite direction with Xander. Soon, she thought. Soon, she would get a moment with him and it had to happen fast if this wedding is in two short days.

Camilla waited until her siblings were out of ear shot to take a step forward, crossing her arms. “Yes, Father?” she asked.

His smile faded as he narrowed his eyes, looking side to side. “Is it me?” he asked, voice hushed, “or were those two just not…”

“Hmmm,” she said, a corner of her lips curling to a smirk, “you did embarrass them in front of us,”

“Yes, but…” he sighed, rubbing his head, “you’d think after that letter he sent us, he’d be a little more, I don’t know, expressive? He made it seem like he was head over heels!” Camilla tilted her head, also narrowing her eyes. “I don’t know…I understand being shy, but it was like…like…”

“Like they hadn’t met before?”

“Yes!” he said, snapping his fingers. “...Odd, isn’t it? They’ve been together for a month now,”

“I’d say so,” she said, putting her fist under her chin. “Let me guess, do you wish for me to do a little…advising?”

Garon sighed in relief. “Oh, would you please, dear Camilla?” he said. “I’d hate to think that something was wrong when this wedding needs to happen, and happen soon.”

Camilla chuckled, flipping back some of her hair. “Don’t worry about a thing, Father,” she said, turning on her heel. “You leave this to me…” For now, she needed some beauty rest and some time to think about a plan. The best thing to do, she supposed, was ambush the princess at her dress fitting to figure her out. Judging from her earlier reactions, she didn’t seem like a tough nut to crack. After, she could take what she knew and confront Xander…and Leo. She heard him exclaim in shock earlier too, which made the case even more curious. She could grab Leo out of his study on the way to Xander’s.

She sighed as she strolled her way back to her room. Not even ten minutes had passed and she already had work to do in her own home. “Oh, my darlings,” she said, chuckling, “what have you got for me this time?”

* * *

Mozu winced as she witnessed the royal tailor yank on the corset strings on Sakura’s back. She gasped for air with each tug and held her stomach, reminding Mozu all too well of her own experience. The tailor pulled his hands away with a wistful sigh. “And voila!” He kissed his fingers and stepped down from the podium. Sakura sucked in her bottom lip, trying to turn herself on the podium to look at herself in the mirrors before her. “A dress fit for a princess…don’t you think so, handmaiden?” he asked her.

She stammered. “A-ah! Y-yes! V-very…beautiful…”

“Hmm…it is missing something,” he said, narrowing his eyes and stroking his chin. Then, he snapped his fingers. "A fur cape! Excuse me, Milady,” he said, bowing. With a hum, he strolled out of the dressing room. Once the door clicked closed, Sakura gasped out, “Mozu…”

“Hm?” The princess pointed to her back. “OH!” She jumped out of her seat on the floor and onto the platform, looking at the corset bindings. She stuck two of her fingers underneath the ties and pulled out to loosen them. Sakura gasped for air and held her stomach once the laces slackened enough.

“G-goodness…is that how you felt?” she asked, turning her head. “That’s agony!”

“Y-you didn’t know,” Mozu said, forcing a smile. “If they lace it too tight again, I’ll loosen it for ya on the day,”

“Thank you,” she said, looking ahead towards the mirrors, gathering the big poofs of the ball gown skirt to smooth them out. Mozu’s eyes trailed along the straight-across neckline to the tight sleeves around her shoulders. The fabric was of pure white satin that shone in all different directions, accented with embroidered gold on the waist, bodice, and down her shoulders. Taking it all in at once, she really did look like a bride, ready to walk down the aisle. In a soft voice, Sakura said, “White and gold…”

Right. This must be the dress Mikoto described in the future where she married Xander.

_You walked slowly, head cast down. I felt such sadness coming from you and the prince down the aisle that it nearly made me weep._

They had to have been thinking the same thing, for Sakura hadn’t a shred of hope in her eyes. Her hands kept smoothing out the ruffles as the bottom of her lip quivered.

“Lady…Sakura?” Mozu asked.

“…You should be wearing this dress.”

Mozu’s brows lifted as her heart raced. “Wha?!”

“D-don’t you think?” she said, turning herself around to the best of her ability. “I-I mean…if I-I’m supposed to be happy with Leo…somehow…then, shouldn’t you be happy with Xander?”

Her cheeks flashed red. “Th-that’s impossible, though! E-even if you c-could marry Leo…I-I’m still a peasant from the sticks,” she said, hanging her head. “He…he couldn’t…” Besides, she already had put thought into leaving to go back to Hoshido. Though, now was not the best time to tell Sakura.

Sakura put her palm on Mozu’s cheek, rubbing with her thumb. They kept silent, Mozu knowing that nothing could be said to really remedy her thoughts. Suddenly, she lifted her head when she heard muffled voices on the other side of the door.

“Wha?” said the tailor, “L-Lady Camilla? I-uh-go right in!”

The door burst open, causing the two girls to flinch. Sakura yelped and hid behind Mozu whose protective instincts wanted her to find a weapon. She watched as a tall woman strutted her way inside the dressing room, long lavender tresses bouncing behind her. The door closed once she stood in front of them on the podium, putting her hands on her hips. Though she wore a simple white, loose blouse and tight black pants with matching boots, Mozu could feel the intimidation coming from her all the same if she had shown up in full armor. She curled her lips into a smirk as she spoke with a rich, deep voice. “My…” she said, tilting her head. “What a lovely dress you have, darling. Won’t you please let me see you?”

Sakura peeked out from behind Mozu, standing right beside her. “H-hello, L-Lady Camilla…”

“Lady?” she asked with a laugh. “I told you to just call me ‘Camilla’ remember?”

“Mmm..mmm…mhm!”

Camilla lifted a finger, putting it on her own chin. “Ah…and who is this?” she asked, leaning closer to Mozu.

“Ah…uhm, uhm…I-I’m Mozu…” she said. “L-Lady Sakura’s handmaiden…”

“I see!” she said, taking a step back. “I’m terribly sorry for barging in like this, but I wanted to talk to you,” she said, looking behind her to find a seat. “Sister-to-sister, if you don’t mind.” She brought the chair forward and sat down, crossing one leg over the other.

Sakura turned to Mozu and tilted her head, signaling her to stay. “D-do you mind if Mozu stays?”

Camilla’s eye flickered with surprise for a second, but she went back to her calm gaze soon after. “Of course not,” she said, putting her elbow on the arm of her chair and resting her head on her knuckles. “Mozu, dear, why don’t you get a chair for Sakura?”

“Y-yes, ma’am!” she said, leaping off the platform. She found another chair not too far away and set it in front of Camilla before helping Sakura down the podium.

“Thank you, darling,” she said as Sakura made herself comfortable. “You know, you look exactly like a Nohrian princess in that dress,”

“I-I do?”

“Oh, yes.” She sighed. “Aren’t you just filled with excitement?”

Sakura scrunched up some of her dress in her fists, her knee bouncing underneath and making rustling sounds. “O-oh,” she said, looking down. “Y-yes, so excited…” Mozu felt her face heat up and sweat forming on her forehead.

“Mmm…he’s so wonderful, isn’t he?”

“V-very wonderful,”

“And your trip around Nohr!” she said, clapping her hands together. Mozu sucked in her bottom lip, barely breathing through her nose. “What was your favorite part?”

“Ah…uhm…” Sakura whipped her head to Mozu and stared like a deer at an oncoming carriage. Mozu shook her head once, trying to make sure that Camilla didn’t see Sakura turning to her for advice. “Uhm…the food!” she said. “The f-food was r-really g-great!”

“The food?” she asked. “Not the hot springs? Not the opera show?”

Sakura smoothed her palms on the dress, looking askance. “O-oh…right…th-those were n-nice too…”

“Just nice?...Oh, darling…” she said, leaning forward. “To call the Cyrkensian opera house just ‘nice’ is a crime all in its own!” she said with a laugh.

“O-oh! N-no, it was…it was fantastic!” Sakura said. “X-Xander g-got us the b-best b-box!” Mozu’s color flushed from her face.

“Box?” Camilla asked. “As in opera box?” Sakura pressed her lips in a thin line. “That’s odd…we always sit in the gondolas on the water. Best seats in the house only for the Nohrian elite.” Mozu felt like running out of the room right now. Sakura’s shoulders shuddered as Camilla laughed again. “Oh, darling…” she said with a sigh. “You didn’t go on that trip, did you?” Sakura made a quick “eep!” as she sat up straight in her seat. “Interesting…something very interesting happened while I was away, am I right?”

“Wh-what d-do you mean, C-C-Camilla?”

“Awe, you don’t have to pretend anymore, darling,” she said, leaning back in her chair. “I knew something was up from the beginning.” She put up a finger, wagging it with a “tsk” sound. “Can’t fool a woman’s intuition!” Sakura hung her head with a groan, running her fingers through her hair. “Awe…don’t feel bad! It’s why I came!” she said, getting out of her chair. Mozu watched with her teeth clenched around her lip as Camilla walked over and knelt to Sakura, stroking some of her hair. “I want to help you however I can. You believe me, don’t you?” she asked, lifting Sakura’s chin.

“You…” Sakura said, her voice meek, “you’re…really trying to help me?”

“Of course! Now…” she said, pulling away to sit back down. “Tell me everything from the beginning.”

Sakura sat up slowly and turned her head to Mozu. She held out her hand, beckoning for her to come. Swallowing her nerves, Mozu took a daring step forward and saw Camilla lean on the edge of her seat.

“Well,” Sakura said, her voice clear. “I guess you would have found out later anyway, but…” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. “Right before we came to Nohr, Mozu and I,” she gestured to the handmaiden, “switched places.”

Camilla’s eye widened. “Switched places? So, you pretended to be her and she…” She frowned with a sigh. “Darling, that’s dangerous! That’s high treason!”

“I know,” Sakura said, frowning as well. “And…Mozu’s already suffered for it…” Mozu held her arm and looked askance as the memory of said suffering flickered in her mind.

“Oh…” Camilla sighed, her voice dripping with pity. “I see…so,” she said, sitting up. “Mozu is the one who went on the trip with Xander,”

“Y-yes,” Sakura said.

“So the wonderful Sakura Xander had wrote us about was actually…oh…” she said, tone dropping. “Oh my…”

With a timid voice, Mozu said, “I-I’m sorry…”

“…Don’t apologize, dear. It’s done, isn’t it?” she said. “When and how did you two finally switch back?”

Sakura answered. “Just last week,” she said. “L-Leo…figured it out…”

“And it took him a month?”

“Well,” Sakura said, “H-he had kn-known for a while…but I think he was waiting.” She frowned.

“Hmm…I suppose he would want to wait and be sure on a sensitive matter such as this,” Camilla said with a long sigh. She said nothing for a while, looking between Mozu and Sakura as her leg bounced over her knee. “Now I think I see things clearer…” Sakura opened her mouth to speak but Camilla stood out of her chair. “Well! This was fun,” she said with a grin.

“C-Camilla?” Sakura asked, standing.

“I should be going, my dear. Don’t worry,” she said, “your secret is safe with me.”

“Wh-what secret?”

Camilla pushed her hair away from her other eye to wink at Sakura before turning on her heel and tossing her hair. “See you later, darlings!” Before either could retort, Camilla strolled out of the room, opening and shutting the door just as fast as she came.

Mozu turned to Sakura and vice versa. “So…” she said. “She…took that well…didn’t she?”

* * *

Camilla’s mind flooded with possibilities and scenarios. For one, she had to reimagine Mozu enjoying everything that Sakura was supposed to on that trip. Xander’s letter spoke nothing but praise about her, and he never wrote words he did not fully stand behind. She frowned, realizing that perhaps, he had developed feelings for the wrong girl and had not known it until it was too late. When she saw him, he wore his usual fixed frown and did not smile once. Of course, Xander rarely smiled, but if he were really infatuated with his fiancée like he implied, then maybe he would have appeared happier. Now she hungered to know how he felt for that precious little Mozu.

And Leo. He was startled earlier even though the question was posed to Xander and Sakura. Could he be involved in this too somehow? Sakura did mention that he was the one to find out that they had switched. He was definitely involved, but how?

Oh, it been ages since something so intriguing happened at the castle. For years, she was tired of the snobbery and false gossip that the court ladies loved to spread, but this was real. Father would be especially upset if he had found out first, she realized. But she found out first. Perhaps, she could find and fix this problem for her beloved siblings.

Camilla made her way towards the wing where the private royal studies were. As she came closer, she could see one of Leo’s retainers leaning against the wall next to the door. It was the outlaw, the man with white hair and dark skin that wore dark clothes. He noticed her approach him and he tilted his head, speaking in a sultry voice.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Lady Camilla, finally returned home.”

“Hello, Niles,” she said, standing before him.

“Did you miss me?”

“Greatly. Now, is my brother in?”

He nodded. “Go right in.”

“I won’t take long.” She knocked on the door but let herself in without permission. “Oh, Leo!” she said in a sing-song voice. “It’s me!” Leo flinched quickly, whipping his head around to see her. Judging by all of the open books and multiple crumpled up parchments in the trash heap, he must have been up to something. She chuckled, walking over. “My, how like you to bury yourself in work whenever you’re stressed,”

“C-Camilla! What’s with the—you can’t just barge—I’m not stressed!”

She “tsk”-ed her tongue again and put her hand on his shoulder. “Come on,” she said, tugging on his collar. “We’re gonna go see our brother,”

“Xander? But why—hey! Don’t pull on me!” Too late. She dragged him outside and Leo met eye contact with his retainer. “Niles!” he yelled. “Don’t you see what’s happening?”

“Sorry, Milord,” he said with a shrug. “Mama knows best,”

“That’s right!” Camilla said. “Don’t worry, Leo. If you two are honest, this’ll go by quick.” He stopped resisting her pull on the condition that she let him go. He grumbled under his breath and fixed his shirt as he followed behind his sister toward the end of the hall where Xander’s study was. Standing next to the door guarding it was Laslow, picking under his fingernails until he spotted the both of them. In a second, he stood up straight and hid his hands behind his back.

“L-Lady Camilla! And Lord Leo, good afternoon,”

“Good afternoon. Is Xander?...” Camilla asked, pointed to the door.

“Oh yes,”

“Good. We’ll just let ourselves in.” She pushed some of her hair back, knocked, and walked right in. “It’s me!” she said in a sing-song voice.

Xander didn’t look away from his book as he spoke to her. “I know. I heard you outside,” he said dryly, turning the page. “Hello, Leo. What are you here for?”

He scoffed and closed the door behind him. “Ask her. She dragged me here,”

“Aweee,” she said, strolling over to his desk, “do I need a reason to see my two favorite brothers in the world?”

“It couldn’t wait until dinner?”

“No.”

He only moved his eyes to look at her before he shut his book. “Sister…what are you up to?” Her brothers studied her carefully as she slowly paced around the room, going nowhere in particular.

“Oh, dear me…” she said with a wistful sigh, her heels making steady clicks on the carpet. “We’ve got quite the predicament going on here, don’t we?” she said, turning her gaze towards them, a smirk on her lips. “I heard about the little ‘switcheroo’ that the princess and her servant did.”

The two exchanged glances before Leo spoke up. “Wh-who told you?”

“Sakura. Honestly, it wasn’t hard at all. She’s an absolutely terrible liar. You’d think that she would at least have exchanged notes with that girl, but, seems not!” Xander set his book on the desk and turned his attention to his window, frowning as if there were a stain on it. Leo rubbed the back of his neck, casting his look downward and furrowing his brows. “Mmm…looks like it did a number on the two of you.” They said nothing except deepen their grimaces, earning another sigh from their sister. She walked to one of the chairs in front of the desk and sat herself down, looking at Xander in particular. “Xander,” she said, her tone wary. “That letter you sent to Father and me. It was about the servant girl, wasn’t it?”

“Mozu,” he said, not looking away from the window.

“Right…” She sat back in her chair. “I think I know the answer already, but… how do you feel about her?”

He sat up, taking in air through his nose as he mustered enough courage to look at her. His eyes softened, a hint of melancholy in their shines. “It did not take me long to realize that during our travels, the only lie she told me was her own name.” Hearing such defeat in his voice made her heart sink. “Everything else was her and truly her. She didn’t change after the reveal,”

“So…what does that mean?”

“It means…I have deep affections for her.” He scowled. “Camilla, I have already told Sakura that I won’t see her—“ She held up a hand to silence him.

“Hold on,” she said, narrowing her own eyes. “That’s not all, is it?” She turned her attention to Leo, making him stand straight. He loosened his collar a little and leaned on the desk for support.

“There is…” he said, looking at the carpet. “You see…I am the one who is…” he closed his eyes, “ _infatuated_. With…Sakura.”

Camilla gasped, putting her fingers over her lips. “Oh my…and does she feel the same for you?”

Leo half-scoffed and half-laughed out of sarcasm. “After everything I did?”

“And what _did_ you do?”

“Well…for starters, I tricked her into using a dragon vein to prove that she was royalty.” Camilla narrowed her eyes. “And then…I sentenced her handmaiden to one-hundred and fifty lashes for the, uh, impersonating royalty debacle.” She gasped again, her eyes widening. “H-hey! She only got six!”

“Huh?”

“Xander saved her.” Suddenly put on the spot, the elder prince crossed his arms and looked out the window again with a sneer. That itself intrigued her enough to lean forward on her seat. She knew that Xander hadn’t always agreed with Nohr’s harsh sentences, but he never fought to challenge them knowing that they were in place for a reason. Then again, if the handmaiden’s remains were not on display as they should have been, a lot of rules had to be bent. And on top of that, he couldn’t let her carry out the sentence that allowed her to live? Xander certainly wasn’t joking on how bad he had it for her.

But Leo.

She looked at him, studying him like he was an entirely new person. Nothing Sakura had did or said earlier pointed towards any hint of returning his feelings, but, Camilla figured that there was little opportunity for her to do so anyway. Either way, she could confirm for now that Xander certainly did not want to marry her anymore…but perhaps Leo did. She knew if she suggested it, they would refuse because of their sense of duty.

Her brothers had found ones that they loved, she should be happier! Although, judging by their words and reactions, they would not say the “L” word just yet. Still, Camilla could not sit idly by as her brothers sacrificed their happiness for Nohr. They had already given up on a free, idyllic childhood because of their birth; why should their adulthood be taken away too?

But could it work? If Sakura married Leo, then the treaty should still be valid. Unless it was imperative that she became queen. Leo also had to marry that girl from the Ice Tribe. If Father agreed to the two of them having their way, the tribe would still be a problem. Still. Much easier to negotiate with a small tribe than to reopen international affairs with Hoshido again. And, if Sakura still married into the royal family, then the Hoshidans shouldn’t have much of a problem fixing up the small details.

Her pout curled into a gentle smile. “You know, you two, there isn’t much of a problem here when you think about it.” They both lifted her heads, confused. “If Leo agrees to marry Sakura, then the treaty is still valid and then Xander would be free to pursue Mozu.”

They both bulged their eyes as their jaws dropped. Instantly, they began shouting arguments of how utterly stupid and crazy that would be. Not to mention the Ice Tribe. And what about Father? She rolled her eyes and waited for them to stop, gawking at her like she was a madwoman. “Yes,” she said. “I am crazy. But you know what?” she said, standing with her arms crossed as she spoke with a calm, sensible tone. “It’s my belief that, as a royal, I get to do one crazy thing in this life.”

Leo lifted a brow. “One crazy…”

“…thing?” Xander finished.

“Yes.” She walked to the desk, staring them down. “Every single day, ever since we were born, we were told that our lives were dedicated to Nohr and only Nohr. We were educated and groomed to rule this country and put its needs before our own.” Their expressions softened as their mouths shut. “And we’re supposed to do that for the rest of our lives! So, is it so bad to break away from the rules just once?” She put her hands on their shoulders. “Just once? Think about. One crazy thing that would make your life so much better. And it would be worth it because then, after that, you would do what you have been doing since day one.”

"And what's _your_ crazy thing?" Xander asked.

"Hmph. You're not getting it out of me that easy."

From the way they softly gasped and exchanged glances questioning, she knew was getting through. Leo turned to her, his voice lighter. “But, Camilla, this is…this is beyond crazy,”

“As it should be. Look, I’m not saying it’s the right thing. I know you two are only hesitant because it could be a mistake, and it could be!” They frowned. “But that’s not the point. You do it because it will make you happy. And, to be honest…” Her voice softened. “If you two married who you really wanted to, especially you, Xander, Nohr would only benefit from it.” Their eyes widened. “And you know, it’s not as crazy, really! Imagine if you picked up a dancer right from the street and wanted to wed her the very next day!”

“Camilla!” they said, chastising.

“See? Now THAT I would advise strongly against.”

Xander took another deep breath. “Still,” he said. “…I’m not even certain if I want to…”

“Yeah,” Leo said, rubbing his head, “and who’s to say that Sakura would even want to…”

She shrugged and put her hands behind her back. “That part’s on you,” she said. “Either way…I hope the two of you choose whatever will make you happy.” With that, she tilted her head and gave them a look of encouragement before she strolled to the door. “Nohr would be a better place if you did…” She put her hand on the knob. “Before I go…I should warn you. Whatever you do, do it soon,” she said, turning just her head. “Before it’s too late.”

* * *

“Lady Sakura,” Mozu said as she held her pink locks in her hand and a brush in the other. “Are you sure you don’t want to eat dinner?”

“It’s not that,” she sighed, staring at herself in the mirror as Mozu combed her hair. “I just can’t be down there if Elise or the king are there…what if they start asking questions like Camilla?” She pouted and looked at her hands. “And I…I just can’t lie.”

“I know,” she said, “but you have to eat…” She smiled. “Hey, why don’t I make you something?”

“Hm?”

“It might not be the same, but I bet that I could try to make you some Hoshidan food!...or…food that resembles Hoshidan food.”

Sakura gasped, her face lighting up. “Oh, that would be lovely!” She turned around, clapping her hands together. “I’ve missed your cooking,”

Mozu giggled, setting down the brush. “Then I’d be happy to make somethin’. Whaddaya in the mood for?”

“Oh gosh,” she said, cheeks turning pink as she looked toward the ceiling, humming as she thought about it. “Mmm…maybe something like dumplings?” she asked. “And a soup on the side?”

“Hey, that doesn’t sound bad. You stay right here,” she said taking a step backwards. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,”

“Mozu!” she said, right before she opened the door, “make sure to make enough for yourself too!”

“W-Will do!” She waved and Mozu left, closing the door behind her. Sakura sighed and lowered her hand, looking forward in the mirror. Alone again. Perhaps for a while. She stood up from the vanity seat and walked to her desk where a single piece of paper sat in the middle. She ran her fingers over Mikoto’s letter, having read it dozens of times by now. With the way she allowed things to carry on, she was on the road to misery. Mikoto had said that it was up to her to decide which path she’d walk down.

Or maybe in this case, which aisle.

Sakura knew that there would be consequences would dredge up immediately if she chose otherwise. But. She looked down at the letter, putting all five of her fingers on it. Mikoto wouldn’t encourage her if they proved to be too numerous or too harsh. She narrowed her eyes and tightened her fist. Marrying Xander is the easiest path, the one filled with certainty. It also spelled certain suffering in both of their lives.

If she chose Leo, then nothing was set in stone…except happiness. She looked at the tall mirror next to her, eye glancing from her feet to her shoulders. _A white kimono. Your brother walked you down the aisle_. Mikoto wrote that knowing that when Sakura was a little girl, she would continually ask Ryoma if he would be there to walk her down to meet her future husband. She sucked in her bottom lip, taking her hand away from the letter.

Happiness was worth the uncertainty, for both her and Xander. Despite everything, _Leo_ himself was worth it. It would be difficult, but she wanted those days where they worked together and talked together about anything because the conversation came to natural to them. She wanted nights like the one where they drank and laughed, talking about themselves. The path to the happy future didn’t end with Leo, but it did start with him. Actually, it started with her doing _something_ because nothing would budge without her.

Taking a deep breath, she walked over to her sandals and slipped them on, adjusting her clothes. With Mozu gone making them both dinner, it would take a while for her to finish, hopefully giving Sakura enough time to find him. She exited her room and looked beside her to see that Benny was the one guarding her for now. He nodded. “Good evening, Lady Sakura. Is there anything I can do?”

“Oh, no,” she said taking a step out, “I’m just going for a walk. A-ah…no escort needed.” She closed the door and took another step forward before she stopped. “U-uhm…if Mozu gets here before I’m back, could you please ask her to wait for me?”

“Certainly.”

“Thank you.” She took another breath and strolled down the hallway. Okay, she had to find him, so where would he be? Leo spent most of his time in his study but it was a little late for that. Dinner was just about to end but it was debatable if he went or not. Often, he would have it sent to his study so he wouldn’t have to leave. She turned the corner, thinking of the best route. She could stop at his study first, but then she would have to figure out where his room was.

As she made her way up the first flight of stairs, she heard giggling coming down from the hall. As she walked closer, she could make out the black and white uniform of the maids, two of them walking down as they conversed. Judging from the way they laughed and whispered, they had to be gossiping. Wait a second, was that?...

Sakura made eye contact with the maid that was rather unpleasant to her the first day she masqueraded as Mozu. Her eyes widened once Sakura was close and her and her friend curtseyed quickly. “A-Ah!” she said. “L-Lady Sakura! G-good evening.” She frowned, noticing how quickly she changed character.

“Good evening…” She pushed some pink hair from her face. “I’m looking for Prince Leo…again.”

The maid swallowed thickly. “A-ah, uhm…” No jokes about her being a concubine this time, it seemed. “H-he didn’t make it to dinner…h-his retainer isn’t a-at his study so…”

“He must be in his room…”

“Y-yes…” She cautiously peeked up. “D-do you need an escort?”

“No thank you. Just directions will do.” She nodded and explained to her in detail how to find his room, trying her best not to stammer, poor thing. “Thank you.” They curtseyed again before Sakura walked around them, well on her way. She heard the whispering resume when she was barely out of ear shot, but thought not much of it.

After another flight of stairs, Sakura found herself on a nearly empty hallway. Banners of the Nohrian Crest lined the walls with tall windows in between. With the way the rooms were spaced out, these were definitely the quarters that the Nohrian royals resided in. Eventually, she knew that they would move her up here after the wedding. As per the directions, she found Leo’s door and stood before it, staring at it like it would open to a hideous monster. Not that Leo was a monster; the impending conversation is what frightened her. What would she even say? Telling him outright about the letter wasn’t the way to go. After all, the letter was only a vision and it purposefully came with no instructions. No, it was just a nudge in the right direction. The rest was up to her.

She raised a trembling fist towards the door, watching it shake before she held her breath. Closing her eyes, she knocked twice and waited for a response. After a couple of seconds, a tired “Come in” replied back. That was his voice, so she picked the right door. After fixing her hair a little, she grasped the knob, twisted it, and slowly pushed it inwards.

Leo’s room was as grand and large as any royal’s room should be with dark colors painting the walls. Bookcases lined together like a mini library and his room smelt of the books’ old pages. He had a desk too, wedged between the two windows of his back wall. Sakura wondered if he ever truly rested. She glanced forward, noticing him sit on the edge of his bed. He had a towel around his neck and his hair was a little darker from the dampness. He peered at her like she was a ghost and stood slowly, letting the towel fall on his bed. “…Sakura?”

“H-hi…” She put her hands behind her back. “C-can I come in?...” He nodded once and she quietly shut the door behind her. “I uh…h-how are you?”

“…Been better,” he said, narrowing his eyes a little. “What brings you here?”

She shrunk back a little, hearing her heartbeat banging in her ears. The hands behind her back squeezed each other until sweat caked on her palms. “Uh-uhm…” Her eyes shift between him and the floor before she held her breath and took a step forward. “W-we need to talk.” He dropped his shoulders, his expression reserved. “Leo…” She took another step, and another. What would she even say? She considered being coy and vague, but she had no time to play games with him with the impending wedding. Still, she could not be too direct either. She had to find a nice middle ground. “I…I want to know,” she said, “what you think…life would be like…”

“…If?”

She steeled her expression. “If the treaty had us marry instead.”

His eyes bulged and he flinched back a little, lips shut tight. Oh gods, she thought. No. That was too direct! She felt her face flush with heat as she cast her look down to her shoes. Her heart pounded against her chest and she felt her body wobble, struggling to keep balance. “Well.” Huh. His voice was calm. That was strange. She slowly lifted her head, peaking at him. His expression softened from surprise, and his eyes were half-lidded. “I’d…like to think that every day would be different. We’d wake up. Deal with Nohr’s new crisis in any way we can. Then we’d spend whatever daylight left working on personal projects.” He chuckled. “I don’t know about you, but I have a couple in the back of my mind,”

“I noticed.” A smile faded on her lips. “I would too…”

“But the best ones would be…the ones we’d work on together, I suppose.” He sighed. “At night I’d…” He glanced aside and Sakura watched as pink colored his pale cheeks. “I would just spend it with you…” Now her heart raced, but for a different reason. “After all, if fate had blessed me such an incredible woman who doesn’t let status or her own fears stop her from helping people, I’d want to spend every second with her.” He couldn’t help smiling either. “If she is the selfless one, then allow me to be the selfish one who uses every second of each day making her happy so that I can wake up with her by my side…”

Her heart stopped beating for a second and her entire body felt lighter, like she was floating. It was like she had tunnel vision and the only thing she could focus on was him, hands in his pockets as he looked askance, his smile subtle but radiant. Surely, she thought she should be a sputtering babbling brook that looked like a tomato with a mouth, but she was the opposite. She felt…peaceful.

Suddenly, Leo shook his head and looked at her with bewilderment. “I-I…”

“…Did you mean that?”

He ran a hand through his damp hair, making some of it stick out in weird angles. “I…I did, but…” His eyes narrowed. “Why did you ask?” There he was, incredibly suspicious. Though, she knew she could not blame him.

She paused, thinking of her words carefully. “I asked…because I wanted to know,”

“Know what, exactly?”

There was no fooling him, she knew. That was the beauty of it though, wasn’t it? If anyone knew how to take a hint, it should be him. She had already said too much and so did he. Keep her lips in a tight smile, she just took two steps back, hoping that her inability to answer him came off as mischief. Probably not since she was as tricky as a sheet of paper that said “boo” on it. But Leo knew that.

“Hey…” he said, walking over to her. “You can’t just ask that and leave!”

“But it’s true!” she said. “I just wanted to know…” Her back suddenly hit the door.

“I highly doubt that you came here to get a hypothetical situation out of me,” he said, standing before her.

“…So what do you think I came here for?”

“How should I know? YOU came here!”

“I know…” she said, pouting a little. “…But I want to know what you’re thinking.”

He lifted an eyebrow, putting a hand next her head as he leaned in a little. His eyes pierced her own, but she dared not look away. She pressed her hand against her chest, as if trying to calm her heart. “I think… what you’re asking and what my sister told me earlier today is no coincidence…”

That made her blink in surprise. “S-sister…Camilla?! Wh-what did she say?”

Leo smirked. “If you’re going to be secretive with me, then I will be the same,”

“Hmph!” She pouted more. “B-but I h-have reasons…good reasons!”

“As do I.”

A wild thought occurred. He said that this was no coincidence, meaning what she asked and what Camilla said were similar. So could he be planning something?... Her hands tightened with the possibility. His face was so close too, no longer gawking at her, but rather simply gazing now. She wondered what he was thinking and if it had anything to do with the coincidence. “I-I hope…Camilla said nothing b-but g-good things?...”

He chuckled. “You have nothing to worry about,” he said, his voice soft and warm. “She said…” His eyes blinked and he straightened his back. “…Oh…”

“’Oh’ what?” Gods, what in the world did he realize?

Leo’s hand twitched before he looked at her then at the door behind her. “I’m…” he said. “…I need to go find someone.” She slid out of the way so he could open the door. “I-I uh…we’ll…continue this?”

“S-sure?” What in the world did that mean? Before she could ask him, he dashed out and down the hall. She stepped out herself, her expression flabbergasted as she watched him disappear down the corridor. Sakura wondered what exactly she had done. We’ll continue this? Gods, that didn’t sound too confident. Though, she supposed, that now was the time to do anything drastic and or panic with so little time left. Hopefully, she had sent Leo down the right path. If not…maybe it’s best not to think on it.

* * *

When Mozu arrived, most of the kitchen staff were leaving, others finishing up the cleaning. A chef turned to her. “Ah,” Mozu said, “I’m just here to cook something for Princess Sakura.”

He shrugged. “We’re done here, so you won’t be getting any help,”

“That’s fine,” she said, smiling, “I don’t mind the peace and quiet.”

“Suit yourself.” She waited until they cleared out of the kitchen to walk in and close the door behind her. Hm, she wasn’t used to fancy kitchens with about every tool and spice one could think of. Sakura did want traditional Hoshidan and the way Mozu cooked used simple spices that anyone in her little village could have and use. Keep it simple, she thought. Rolling up her sleeves and reaching for an apron, she dug around, trying to find similar or identical ingredients. She must have spent a good ten minutes just sniffing spices to mimic the ones she used back home, setting those on the counter. The dumpling dough should be easy since even peasants had the ingredients to make it themselves and kitchen probably had it already prepared. The filling, perhaps not, since the red bean was something that seemed native to Hoshido. She did manage to find brown beans but she wasn’t sure if they could be sweet like Sakura liked. Actually, pork would be a good substitute since that could be nice and sweet, but Sakura never liked the heaviness of it… Eh, she figured that she could make both and see what turned out best.

She took a good pound of dough from the reserves and set it on the wooden counter covered in a thin layer of flour. With a soft hum, she kneaded the dough, the practice already reminding her of doing so in Shirasagi’s kitchen. Once done, she gave it a nice punch and let it sit. Taking a large pot, Mozu dumped some plain chicken stock and some vegetables that she recognized, all chopped up. Let that simmer for a bit. She started on the two fillings for the dumplings, putting the pork and beans into two different pots, giving them both a sweet marinade.

Ah, it had been a while since she had so much fun. Sweat formed on her head and her fingers turned red from touching the hot things, but she welcomed the feelings all the same. She loved jumping from molding the dumplings to tasting the soup then back to stirring the paste. The soup sizzled behind her as her hands clapped together when she formed the dumplings, all like some sweet song. For once, she could take her mind off everything. She barely thought about Sakura, the wedding, when she was going to leave...

The door swung open, breaking her out of her trance. “Oh! My apologies,” said the voice. She turned around, dumpling still in her hand as she looked to see who walked in.

Xander.

She stared at him like he wasn’t even real and he the same. Her jaw fell and every fiber in her being froze. So many questions fogged up her brain. When was the last time she saw him face to face? Gods, not since that morning. Not since they agreed to discontinue…whatever it is they were doing. Well this wasn’t fair. She kept to her domestic servant domain so he was the one intruding. What in the world was a crown prince doing in a kitchen? He spoke first. “What…are you doing here?”

“Wha? What about YOU?” she asked, nearly squishing the dumpling in her hand.

He crossed his arms and walked in. “I was hungry,”

“You have hundreds of servants who could cook for you,”

“Didn’t feel like bothering them.” She pouted. “I don’t _need_ a proper meal each and every night. Just two slices of bread and some beef would do.” Of course he would get bored of big fancy meals like that each night. Nothing would be special after a while, like having sweet bread on your birthday. Mozu laughed before the soup started to hiss. She rushed over, setting down the dumpling and lifting the lid.

“Whew… still good,” she said, stirring it a little. Without looking back to him, she took a side-step to check on the steaming buns.

“Goodness,” he said, taking a deep breath. “Whatever you’re making, it smells delicious…”

“Awe, thanks,” she said, covering the pots. As soon as she did, she noticed her hands and arms caked with flour, dough, and filling. Quickly, she started wiping her hands on her apron, not noticing the few specks on her forehead. “A-ah, uhm…” She cleared her throat. “I-it’s for Lady Sakura…”

“Of course. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

She shrugged, looking towards the finished buns that cooled on a plate. Well…he was hungry. Mozu could not, in good faith, ignore anyone with an empty stomach. Especially the crown prince…especially him. Besides, offering him food wasn’t anything bad. In fact, if she didn’t, then that would be the opposite of her job. She took a pork bun in her fingers, holding it up. “You can try it if you want.”

He shook his head. “Please, I didn’t come here to steal off you,”

“It’s not stealing if I’m offering. ‘Sides, I’m making a lot.” Her eyes turned big as she drawled out a small, “Pleeease?”

“Thank you, but—“ A low growl came from his stomach at that instant. He put a hand over his gut and turned his face away, scowling with a hint of pink on his cheeks. “F-forgive me…”

Mozu tried hold it back, but she ended up laughing anyway. “Wha-at?” she said among her giggles. “Why are you apologizing?”

“It’s rude,”

“You can’t help it.” She calmed down with a soft sigh. “You haven’t eaten today?”

“I… had a hard boiled egg.” She crossed her arms and frowned. “I haven’t had much of an appetite the past couple of days.”

“Well,” she said, presenting the dumpling again. “This outta fix that.”

Xander sighed, not taking him long at all to break this time. He shrugged and took the bun in his fingers, giving it a small squeeze before taking a bite. After chewing maybe twice, he stopped and his eyes widened. Oh, she knew that look. With a wide grin on her face, he took another bite, eating that one before swallowing. “Wow…” he sighed. “How did you…?”

“Hm? It was real easy,” she said, watching him finish the dumpling. “You just take regular dough, put some pork in it, steam it. Easy!”

“Heh…” he said, looking behind her quickly. “Really? No preparing for days? No stirring it for hours?”

“Nope,” she said. “Easy and simple.”

He furrowed his brows, pressing his lips into a thin line. Mozu’s grin dropped too, trying to figure out what he was thinking so deeply about. She tilted her head about a good minute had passed. “X…M-Milord?”

“M-my apologies,” he said, shaking his head. “I was just thinking…”

“Thinking of what?”

“Thinking of…” He chuckled. “I was thinking how you could feed Nohr with this kind of simplicity.” She tilted her head, focusing only on him. “You know how hard it is for our people to eat. They don’t have the kind of easy access to everything that the castle has.” He put his fist under his chin. “What about the ingredients? Are they…hard to get?”

Mozu shook her head. “Nope. Kept it simple,” she said, walking back to check on the soup. “Didn’t use nothin’ that I didn’t recognize. Spices, maybe, but that’s only if they smelled like something I was used to.”

“Incredible…” He walked over, standing a couple of feet away as he looked over at her soup. She dipped a tasting spoon into it, getting a nice spoonful of broth and veggies.

“Here.” After blowing on it, she presented the spoon to him, her other hand underneath in case of a spill. Xander leaned down, taking the spoonful and tasting it. He closed his eyes with a soft sigh. “How is it?”

“I don’t think I’ve had anything with so much flavor…”

“Whaaat? No way,” she said. “You get these amazing dinners each night! This is just a peasant soup,”

“Yes, but…” He sighed again, looking at it. “I’ve never tasted each individual flavor before. Instead of the usual saltiness I get with each meal, I can pick out the carrots and the chicken in the broth.” He smiled, his eyes softening. “There’s no complexity to wash away the natural flavors. It’s…” His eyes turned to her, and suddenly, he couldn’t speak. Neither could she and the only thing she could do was gaze and breathe. She shifted from looking at his eyes, to his lips, then back to his eyes again.

No. This was bad. Her heart swelled with what she thought was joy, but soon turned out to be guilt. Her throat hurt and her fingers barely shook around the spoon as she set it down. She couldn’t pine after him like this. There was no way they could ever…

“Mozu.” He said her name with such gentleness, like a prayer. “I must ask you something,”

“…Okay,” she said, her voice not too loud. She felt her throat dry up.

His lips faded into a frown. “If you…truly cared for someone, then…” He paused as she heard her heart beat madly within. “To what extent would you go for them?” Oh gods. He wasn’t talking about them was he? Judging from the melancholy in his eyes, he probably was. But why now, when they agreed to stop seeing each other? Like him, though, she couldn't resist thinking about the two of them throughout the day. She owed it to whatever they had to be truthful.

“…There is no extent,” she said. “If you truly…truly cared. Then in the end, you’re only left with life and death.” She smiled softly. “And…for me, at least, life with them is worth all of the troubles.”

He chuckled, surprisingly. “I thought that you would say something like that,”

A playful smile happened on her lips. “Then why…did you even ask?”

Xander took a step back. “I think…I just wanted to hear it from you.” He turned half-face. “Thank you. For the answer and the food.”

“Oh, wait!” she said. Ignoring all of the warning flags and alarming thoughts in her head, she scrambled to find a plate and bowl. She ladled some soup into the bowl and lined the plate with dumplings, setting the bowl in the center. Xander’s astonishment only made it better when she presented the plate to him, utensils included. “You were hungry, right?”

“No, no I couldn’t—“

“Just take it!” she said. “I made plenty,”

“But—“

She tightened her lip into another pout and narrowed her brows, a grunt of frustration coming from her voice. Xander shut his mouth and stared down at the plate with tight lips. Before his stomach could roar again, he took it in his hand. “…Thank you,”

“No need,” she said, waving her hand. “I-It was nice to uh…see you…”

“Yes,” he said, turning half-face again. “It was nice to see you too…” Leaving her with a smile, Mozu kept still until he walked out of the kitchen, a dumpling already between his teeth. After realizing that he was gone, she sighed deeply, leaning against the counter. What in the world kind of a question was that? And why did he ask it now? Oh dear, maybe something happened when they met the king. Or maybe…Camilla…

Shut it, Mozu! she thought. He probably just asked that hypothetically. After all, there was no way, right?

Right.

She sunk down to the floor, holding her knees.

There was no way.

After finally picking herself up off the floor, she looked over at the food she made, realizing there was barely enough for one person. Looks like she gave him her whole portion after all…

* * *

A thousand thoughts crowded within Xander’s mind, yet they only spoke two different things. It was “should I do it?” or “should I not do it?” Either or. Stuffing his face with her food on the way to his study wasn’t helping either; it just turned him more onto “I should do it.”

Oh gods, but he should do it. He really should! Nothing plagued him more or made him lie awake more than the anxiety of his wedding to Sakura. And, in an instant, she had cured his appetite and gotten his mind off something other than this damn wedding. He shouldn’t be surprised; it made sense that she granted him peace of mind.

He should stop eating on the way; he must have looked like a barbarian.

Okay, he could eat in his study. Right after, he would go find Leo. Gods, what would he even say? He hadn’t felt so conflicted in his entire life, the decision really weighing on his chest. Alright. Slow down. Take a deep breath. Just go into the study, eat, and take a little bit of time before—

“Oh good!” Leo said. “You’re here.”

Xander nearly flinched back when he found his brother in his study. Narrowing his brows and keeping his movements slow, eyes not leaving Leo’s, he closed the door and motioned towards his chair. “Were you waiting for me?”

“…Admittedly, yes.”

“Can I eat first?” he asked, setting the bowl and plate down.

Leo held up his finger. “In a moment. I…” He swallowed thickly, but stared him down with a look of resolution. “I want to do it,”

“Do…” Xander’s eyes widened. “Oh gods…you do?”

“Y-yes…I-I know it’s rushed and not under ideal circumstances, but if I never try, then I’ll just live with the regret forever!”

“I-Indeed…oh, what a relief,” he said, laughing and running his fingers through his hair.

“Wh-what do you…”

“I…I’m in. I’m going to do it too." Xander stopped thinking about nearly everything in that moment, relying solely on what his heart and instincts wanted.

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously!” he said. In that moment, they stared at each other like madmen before smiles broke on their lips and faint chuckles escaped their throats. “Oh gods…” Xander said breathlessly, “We’re really doing this?”

“Yes we are. W-well…when should we do it?”

Xander blinked. “Hm? Now, right?”

“Now!?”

“Leo, think about it. The wedding is in two days. You and I are getting fitted and doing gods know what else tomorrow. The next morning, it will already be too late,”

“Damn,” he muttered, scratching his head. “You’re right.” He started pacing around the room. “Okay, well…we can’t just…do it here, can we?”

“No, no, it’s not…” Xander sighed. “It’s very short-notice but it should still be special,”

“Of course. And here, there would be prying eyes, so where could…”

“I’ve got it,” Xander said. He pointed to the window with his thumb, then downwards with his forefinger.

It took less than a minute for Leo to pronounce a drawled out “Ohhh…that will work nicely. Oh! But we’ll need different clothes,”

“For them too. And the…” He pointed to his finger, making Leo gasp.

“You’re right, we gotta grab those. …Anything else?”

Xander looked toward the door. “The horses need to be readied. Also, our retainers will have to cover for us…”

“Allow Niles. That’s kind of his thing,” Leo said, heading towards the door. “I hate to rush you, Brother, but if this is indeed happening now…”

“Now does mean now,” he said with a smile, following him out. He glanced at the probably now cold soup on his desk, frowning a little.

“You can eat whatever you want when we get there,”

“It’s alright. I must have eaten half of those dumplings on the way here,” he said, letting them out of the study.

“Dumplings…who made that?” Xander only smirked. “…Why did I even ask.”

* * *

 “Hey,” Sakura said as Mozu served her on her desk. “Where’s your portion?”

“Ahh…” Would it be strange to mention that Xander just happened to come into the kitchen by some divine coincidence and also mention how she gave him her half? Probably. Then Sakura would whine and feel guilty about Mozu not having any food, preventing her from enjoying her own. “A-Ate most of it…while I was there,” she said with a forced smile. “Also! I made two kind of dumplings. This has pork and this has beans.”

Sakura picked up a pork dumpling, sniffing it once as she looked it over. “Well. If you made it, then maybe it won’t be so rich.” She took a petite bite and shrugged. “Mmm, it’s good. I just don’t know if I can eat a bunch of them,” she said with a laugh before finishing her dumpling.

“I’ll eat ‘em if you don’t want ‘em,”

“Sure!” she said as she started on her soup, still blowing on each spoonful even though the bowl had stopped steaming. “Mmm…”

“Like it?” Mozu asked, biting into a pork bun. Sakura grinned with a nod, taking her next spoonful already. She sat on the edge of the bed and watched the princess enjoy her meal. She hadn’t seen Sakura this happy since…well…since last night when she opened Mikoto’s letter. Maybe she really did have a shot at happiness, Mozu thought. Though, she wondered just how when the wedding to Xander was in two short days. After all, it couldn’t happen ON the wedding day, could it? Not when Sakura was supposed to supposedly walk down the aisle in a kimono with her brother?

After she had mostly finished her meal, Mozu spoke, her tone shy. “Lady Sakura?”

“Yes?” she asked, wiping her lips with a napkin.

“I…I need to tell you something.” She sat up straight and waited for it. “I…I think I should leave,”

“What!?” she cried, standing out of her chair. “No, no, why do you…?”

Mozu frowned. “I’ve thought about it for a while,” she said, sighing. “I-it’s just that…” She cast her head down.

“Is this because of Xander?” she asked, making her way to her. “Y-you can tell me…”

“…It…kind of is,” she admitted. “I-if I’m here, it…it might make things hard for him.” Sakura frowned too, her eyes glossy. “And for me…but you,” she said. “When you get married, you won’t need me anymore,”

“That’s not true!” she said, the volume in her voice alarming Mozu enough to lift her head up. Sakura took her hands in hers, squeezing them. “You’re…you’re my only friend here,” she said, her tone soft. “Please tell me you know that.” With a lump in her throat, Mozu nodded twice. “I…I understand if you want to leave for Xander…but, please! Don’t leave because you think I won’t need you. Because I will, no matter what happens!” She smiled, sending a jolt down the handmaiden’s spine. “If it weren’t for you here with me, then…then I know none of this crazy stuff would have happened, but I’m so glad it did,”

“Y…you are?”

“Of course,” she said, but suddenly, her smile dropped. “Oh…but you’re the one who paid for my mistakes…”

“Hm? Oh, Sakura!” she said, dropping the formalities, “I’m glad it happened too. Don’t matter what happened to me,”

“Really?” she asked. “For sure?”

“For sure,”

“Good…” She dropped Mozu’s hands, but only so she could lean in for a hug. Sakura squeezed her tight, but she welcomed the warmth of it all, embracing her back. “If…if whatever I said to Leo works, I would owe my happiness all to you…”

“Awe, shucks,” she said with a soft giggle. “…Wait, what did you say?” She gasped. “You talked to Leo?!”

“Uh…” Sakura said, pulling away. “Uhm…well!”

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, turning both of their heads. Benny spoke from the other side. “Princess, some of the princes’ retainers are here!”

“Retainers?...” she said, looking back to Mozu. She shrugged in response before Sakura shook her head and walked to answer the door, her handmaiden right behind her. Standing in the doorway were Odin and Laslow, both carrying white boxes in their hands.

“Good evening,” Laslow said. “I hate to bother you at this hour, but, you are needed somewhere,”

“I-I am?”

“Yes. The _both_ of you,” he said, directing the statement towards Mozu. She pointed to herself, eyebrow lifted until he nodded in confirmation.

“Please!” said Odin, presenting his box to Sakura. “For your safety, we ask that you dress in these!”

“What?...” Sakura took her box from Odin as Mozu took hers from Laslow. Taking off the tops of both, a set of clothes lied within them. Very dull clothes, one might add. Mozu pulled out a white shirt and brown dress meant to be worn together. Sakura pulled out a shirt of cream, a skirt of burgundy and a corset of chestnut. Included in her box was also a white kerchief that some of the cleaning maids usually wore. If Mozu wasn’t confused before, she sure as hell was now. “What…are these for?” Sakura asked, stretching the skirt before her.

Odin cleared his throat. “You see! Arranged for you is a night of—MMPH!

“Excuse him,” Laslow said, keeping his mouth clamped on Odin’s. “He doesn’t know how to keep a secret,”

“So it’s a secret,” Sakura said.

“It’s a _surprise_ ,” he said, taking his hand away and eyeing the retainer next to him with warning. “I do hate to rush you, but our lords await.”

“L-Lords?” Mozu said as she and Sakura turned only their heads. They tried finding an answer in each other’s eyes, proving itself to be impossible. Aware of the time limit, she quickly nodded and shut the door with a quick “Be right there!”

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Sakura said as she twisted her obi around, untying as quick as her small fingers could. “What do you think this all is?”

“I-I dunno!” she replied, casting off her obi and letting the yukata fall off her shoulders. As she slipped on her shirt, she said, “Why are we dressing like this?” She nearly tripped trying to reach for the dress behind her.

“…Are we sneaking out?” she asked, adjusting the skirt around her waist.

“Beats me. I dunno why they even invited me!” she said, straightening out the wrinkles. Sakura picked up the kerchief in her hands, holding it in front of her and tilting her head. She placed it on her head, ready to tie it around her chin until Mozu moved to her, taking it in her hands. “Turn around,”

“Hmmm…” she hummed as Mozu tied it behind her head, tucking her hair in. “My heart’s beating so fast,”

“I know, me too…There!” They broke away to slip on some shoes and look in the mirror for last minute adjustments. Sakura was the first one out the door with Mozu right behind her. Laslow quickly shushed them as he looked in both directions.

“If anyone asks,” he said to Benny, “she never left,”

“Should I be worried?”

“Not at all.” He smirked with a wink. “We’ll have ‘em back by morning.” He led them down the hall, his footsteps quiet as his head turned left and right, his movements cautious. Behind the girls and watching their backs, Odin did not pay as much attention as Laslow.

Instead, he snickered and giggled to himself until finally, in an enthusiastic whisper, he said, “I’m so excited!” Laslow whipped around, silencing him with a big “SHUSH” and a scowl. Mozu and Sakura exchanged glances again as they shuffled down the hall, trying to make as little noise as possible. Laslow led them to the lower floors with corridors that seemed familiar, filling Mozu with dread.

He opened the doors to the courtyard and she quickly realized why. A frown sat on her lips as she looked around the multitude of trees and flower bushes, the memories of that confession weighing on her heart and mind. She could hear everything he said, the anger and betrayal in his voice as she pursued him. Sakura turned back to her, concern written on her face. She reached her hand back so Mozu could hold it and offered a small smile. Mozu couldn’t help but hold her hand and smile back, knowing that the worst of the debacle was over. Yes, it was all in the past.

Laslow led them around the castle’s perimeters from the courtyard until they reached one of the back walls that was not as heavily guarded. He held his hand up and a finger to his lips to stop and silence them as he looked up at the guard tower above them. Once determining the coast to be clear, he gestured for them to follow. He took them to a nearby shed and led them inside. “Alright,” he said, closing the door. “Odin?”

“Come forth, brilliance of light!” Fire formed in his palm as he lifted it like a torch.

“You know,” Laslow said, walking to the back wall and kneeling down, “you could’ve just snapped your fingers,”

“Yeah,” he scoffed, “But saying the words gives it more…fiery brilliance!”

Laslow groaned as he pulled on a wooden panel to reveal two cellar doors. The girls watched in awe as he pulled those open, revealing a staircase leading down. “Okay,” he said, standing and clapping his hands to get rid of the dust. “Fiery brilliance goes first.” Odin mimicked his tone and words with annoyance and mocking as he made his way down the stairs. “Ladies?”

Mozu stood in front of Sakura, letting the princess cling to her arms as she took a couple of cautious steps forward. “Oh gosh…what is happening…”

“I told you,” Laslow said, following them in, “It’s a surprise.” He pulled on the doors to shut them behind them. Instantly, Mozu felt the restriction of air down the stone hall, the only light coming from Odin’s flame. Their footsteps echoed down the rather short corridor until they encountered another set of stairs. Laslow went in front and put his hands on the doors above them, giving them a quick shove to push them open. Upon reaching the surface, the girls found themselves standing next to a large tree that sat right outside the wall. Odin flexed his hand to make the fire disappear as Laslow kicked some leaves and shrubs onto the cleverly green painted door.

They walked a bit of ways into the woods behind the castle before coming to a clearing. Waiting there were Xander and Leo, standing beside their mounts. They had also dressed themselves in peasant garbs of simple shirts, vests, and dark pants tucked into worn boots. “Milords,” Laslow said, gaining their attention.

Now, Mozu and Sakura stood before the two princes, wearing looks of confusion. The princess spoke up first. “Uhm…” she started, her voice shy. “I-Is something…the matter? Wh-what’s going on?”

For a good half-minute, they were silent until Leo nudged his brother with his elbow. “Ah, nothing is wrong, Lady Sakura…” Xander said, clearing his throat, giving Leo a quick scowl. “Thank you for coming out here on such a short notice and strange request.”

“Yes,” Leo said, taking a step forward. “Everything will be made clear when we reach our destination,”

“And what _is_ our destination?” Sakura asked.

Playful smiles happened upon the princes as Xander turned his eyes towards Mozu, taking a step towards her as he held out his hand. “It’s a place where royalty does not exist.” Following suit, Leo held his hand out toward Sakura. The girls both gasped softly, looking at each other again before looking back up to them. Sakura was the first to put her hand in Leo’s, a soft giggle leaving her lips as she followed him to his mount.

“Gosh…” Mozu sighed, watching her go before directing her attention back to Xander’s. “I dunno what kind of place this’ll be, but it sounds like fun!”

“Why don’t you come and find out?” He tilted his head, as if waiting for her response. Biting her bottom lip, she rested her hand on his, having not felt his gentle touch a while. He led her to the all familiar Algol and watched her as she mounted herself, just like old times. She could hardly contain the excitement in her face as she looked over to Sakura whose expression mirrored hers, sitting on Leo’s horse right in front of him. As Xander sat behind her, she felt her heart beat like crazy, but for a different reason other than nerves. “Ready?” he asked Leo.

“Let’s go. Hyaa!” Leo kicked Rasalas’s sides and broke her into a gallop as Xander did the same for Algol.

For the past couple of days, doubts had plagued her and Sakura, weighing in on their moods and bodies. As she rode with Xander behind her and watched as Sakura smiled and laughed with Leo, Mozu was struck with sudden optimism. For once, she welcomed the uncertainty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh okay we're finally done! I swear next couple of chapters won't be as dense. Next one tho...hehe!
> 
> Once again, THANKS for all of the comments, kudos, and views! Also a big special thanks to people who are recommending this fic around ahhhh thanks so much for spreading the love. You guys rock!


	16. One Crazy Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 190+ pages and 100k+ words later...here we are! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I hope you will have fun reading it! It's only about 16 pages so its not as heavy as the last one. Thanks so much for sticking with this story, sixteen chapters in and maybe about nine more to go! I was feeling a bit doubtful of it, but this chapter reminded me why I started it. That being said, still got a whirlwind of activity to finish. 
> 
> Thank you for all of your kind comments, support, kudos, and so one and so forth. May this chapter help us bring us closer to 4k views!

**One Crazy Thing**

 

They rode along the perimeters of the capital and its walls for a half-hour before stopping by a small creek, dismounting their horses and leaving them nearby a creek so they could drink. Sakura looked around, noticing nothing but the trees behind them and the wall in front. “Where…are we?”

“We’re not there yet,” Leo said, dusting off his clothes. He put the hood over his head as Xander did the same. “C’mon.” He led them to the stone wall, looking left and right before deciding that the coast was clear. He ran his fingers over the bricks, gently pushing before one budged and pressed inside with a click. Xander stood beside him and put both of his hands on the wall, pushing with Leo as a door suddenly outlined among the bricks. Clapping their hands to get rid of the dirt, they stepped away once it was fully open.

“Ladies first,” Xander said. Mozu looked back as Sakura took her hand, hiding behind her again. With a bewildered shake of her head, she led her inside the door to a long, underground corridor. Torches lined the walls and beside them was the creek’s water flowing inward. Xander and Leo pushed the brick door closed before they joined back with the others.

“Gosh,” Mozu said, walking and listening to the occasional drips of water. “Lotsa tunnels just to get somewhere, don’t ya think?”

“It’s worth it,” Leo said, looking ahead towards the yellow light. As they grew closer, a soft rumble of voices hit their ears. With each echoing footstep, they only grew louder and louder until they reached the light at the end. Sakura and Mozu gasped, their eyes widening as they witnessed the sight before them.

Banners of all colors hung from the high arches and ceilings of the underground. The crowded streets were lined with lamps and strings of lights hung above the people. All along the boulevard were shops and boutiques selling all sorts of items that neither Mozu nor Sakura could name. Among the uproar of voices, they could also hear clapping and cheers not too far away from them. Their eyes brightened with wide smiles on their lips, feeling like children at a festival. “Oh…” Sakura sighed, turning around to Leo. With enthusiasm, she asked, “Where ARE we?”

“Windmire,” he replied.

“The true capital of Nohr,” Xander said, smiling as well. “With all of the restrictions on trade and commerce up above, many move their shops down here where there are no such laws,”

“In that sense,” Leo said, “there is true freedom here,”

Sakura blinked in surprise. “I-if that’s the case, th-then how can you allow this as…”

Leo smirked, putting a finger over his lips. “Are we royals?” he asked in a hushed voice. “We’re just a regular group of four, last time I checked.”

Sakura and Mozu giggled at the joke before Xander spoke again. “We’ll see nothing from here. Come, but stay close.” He held his arm out to Mozu and Leo the same to Sakura, both girls not hesitating to hook their own arms around them. Using only their expressions, they asked each other _Is this really happening? Can you believe this?_ They kept tapping each other’s shoulders and directing each other to each new food, animal, or device that they had never seen before, gasping staring at them. The princes simply chuckled at their fascination, allowing them to drag them away from the street to get better looks.

“Mozu!” Sakura cried. “Look at this!” The handmaiden wheeled Xander to the other side of the street to the food stand that Sakura and Leo stood before. She leaned over, her eyes fixated on the product smoking on the grill. “I don’t think I’ve seen this before…is it meat?” she asked Leo.

“It’s sausage. Pork, specifically,”

“Oh, it’s amazing,” Xander said. “They put cheese and sauce on top.”

“Pork?” Mozu said with a soft grin. “Don’t tell me you actually want it, Sakura…”

“Well…” she said. “It just…smells so good.”

Leo chuckled. “How about we share one?”

“Sh-share?”

“If that’s okay…”

“O-okay!” Sakura said, suddenly smiling.

“Two, please,” Leo said, handing some coin from his pocket over. The man prepared two of the sausages, cutting them into bite sized pieces before putting them on some paper. He slathered the top with cheese and sauce, as Xander had said, and handed them to the princes. “Don’t worry if you don’t like it,” he said, holding the napkin and sausage out to her.

“Y-you never know!”

Mozu tried to stifle her giggles as she watched Sakura take a cheese and sauce drenched piece in her hand, inspecting it like it were a hairball. She took a deep breath, puffing out her chest before popping the whole bite in her mouth. She chewed slowly, nodding in rhythm before she held out a finger. Sakura put a fist to her lips and coughed, making Mozu unable to contain her laughs anymore.

“You can do it!” she said, watching Sakura put her lips over her mouth, her cheeks red. Even the princes were laughing.

“You don’t like it?” Leo teased among his chuckles. With a pitiful look, she shook her head quickly before audibly swallowing her piece. She let out a large sigh.

“I-I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be,” he said, taking a piece in his fingers. “More for me.”

“Hmmm,” Mozu said, looking over at the one in Xander’s hand. She reached forward to take her own piece, popping that into her mouth quickly. “Mmm!” The entire thing was just a big pile of rich tastes mashed together into a guilty pleasure of a food, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. “Hey, not bad!”

“Indeed,” Xander said, already finishing his second piece. “Good thing we don’t come here each night, though.”

Leo scoffed. “Are you kidding? We’d become the pigs that died to make them.”

Another round of cheers startled them. “Hey,” Mozu said, “where’s that coming from?”

“The main square, most likely,” Xander said. “Shall we?”

Finishing their sausages on the way, they made their way inwards, following the rhythmic claps and cheers until they grew louder. Pushing their way through the crowd, they came across a large circle of people, dancing around with laughs and cheers. In the center, a beautiful, tall woman stood on a platform. She dressed in clothes that bared her stomach as her skirts flared with each kick. With a tambourine in her hand, she encouraged others to dance around her, singing along with the band’s instruments. Mozu and Sakura laughed in delight as they watched the dance swell into a faster, more passionate pace. The woman’s long hair bounced around her as she moved like an acrobat, her feet barely touching the floor of the platform and soon, the four of them clapped in rhythm too. For Mozu, it was so different in comparison to the dancers in Cyrkensia. Over there, they were precise and choreographed, but not here. Here, none of the men or women danced with the same footing or in any kind of special form. They just clapped and swung around, allowing themselves to be merry and free from the day’s burdens. They hadn’t a care if they stumbled or twirled gracefully; all that mattered was that they danced. The song ended on a large boom, the dancers shouting one last “Hey!” before stopping. The crowd around them erupted into applause as the woman bowed to the audience.

Leo spoke once the applause died down. “Must be on her way to Cyrkensia,” he said as they continued walking. “Many of the songstresses start here,”

“She’ll make it for sure,” Xander said.

“Hmm…” Sakura said. “I’ve heard a lot of great things about it. Mozu, you saw it, right?”

“Oh, yeah!” she said with a large grin. “It was so beautiful! Gosh, you shoulda seen how they danced and sung,”

“Really?”

“Y-you know,” Leo said, clearing his throat. “I-I’m sure we could all vacation there sometime soon. Father loves that place,”

“ _All_ of us?” she asked, looking back at them.

“Er…” Xander and Leo exchanged quick glances before looking ahead. Even Mozu had to admit the slightly strange context. Did he mean this group of four specifically? Would they even let Mozu come along with them? Judging from the sudden tense atmosphere around them, it was time for a subject change.

“So,” Mozu said. “How do you guys know about this place?”

“Niles,” Leo said. “It’s basically his place of operation. He introduced me to it years ago, telling me to ‘unwind’ and ‘relax.’”

“Leo then told me,” Xander said, “and then we to Camilla and Elise. It’s a good escape,”

“Though,” Leo said, “we try not to come often. Save such excursions for special occasions.”

“Oh?” Sakura asked, tilting her head. “Is today a special occasion?”

“Uhh…” Leo turned to Xander for help, who did nothing but narrow his eyes with a tight-lipped frown. “N-not particularly…j-just thought that you would like to see it…”

“Awe,” Sakura sighed, her cheeks turning rosy. Though, Mozu knew there was more to this than that. She looked up at Xander trying to read him, but he was adamant about keeping his mouth shut. Soon, he did notice her fixation on him and his features softened to a smile again. “So, what now?” Sakura asked.

Xander pointed down towards another road. “This way,” he said. “I think you’ll enjoy this one,”

“Stay close,” Leo said, both girl nodding and clinging around their arms again. Xander led them down a narrow alley, his eyes narrowed as he looked both ways, Leo doing the same. Finally, they reached a smaller, less crowded market square. Before they saw anything, familiar scents wafted towards them, stopping the girls momentarily. “Is that?...” Mozu asked, looking to Sakura.

“Th-that smells like…” Once they reached the end of the alley, Mozu felt like pinching herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. All too familiar paper lanterns lined across the walls and above the roads. Voices with thick, familiar dialects called people to their stands, trying to sell their katanas, yukatas, what have you. Not too far away from them, they saw smoke coming from a food stand as the man behind them fanned the foods on skewers. Mozu’s mouth watered as she recognized the flaky texture and irresistible smell of soy. “K-Kabayaki!”

“Oh,” Xander said, looking forward. “You said that was your favorite, right?”

“Yes! Wait, huh?” she asked, looking up at him. “You…you remembered?”

He just gave her a soft shrug as Sakura turned around too. “I-it’s like a little Hoshido!”

“Oh yes,” Leo said with a smile. “Though, with the impending treaty, many of these people might be able to move their businesses upstairs. I’m sure many Nohrian nobles would appreciate the new imports.”

Sakura gasped softly, nudging Leo’s arm. “What are we waiting for?” Like Mozu, she was instantly drawn to the kabayaki stand. Mozu felt like a starving dog staring at the readied skewers on display just ready to have teeth sink into them.

“Allow me,” Xander said, walking up to the stand. “Two, please.” He paid for them as Sakura and Mozu snatched the skewers from the vendor.

“What _is_ this?” Leo asked, arms crossed as Sakura showed it to him.

“It’s eel!” she said with a grin. “It’s good, I promise!” Leo’s expression soured as Sakura took the first bite, a soft squeal coming from behind her closed lips. Mozu ripped off a huge bite, really letting the flavor fill her mouth. She bounced in excitement, a happy squeal coming from her as well.

“It tastes exactly like it does in Hoshido!” she said.

“I know! Oh, please try it, Leo,” Sakura said, holding the skewer up to him. Leo sucked in his bottom lip, scowling at the fish.

Xander laughed as he took Mozu’s when she offered, holding it before him. “Come, brother,” he said with a playful grin. “Together.” Leo groaned a little, taking the skewer in his hand and jokingly tipping it toward Xander’s like he was making a toast. Together, they took small bites and chewed slowly, the girls watching them eagerly. Xander just slowed his chewing and narrowed his eyes, steeling his expression as Leo put his fist to his lips, trying to chew faster. The girls burst into giggles seeing the brothers shiver as they swallowed. Leo actually coughed a little.

“Gods…” he said, taking deep breaths. “That’s…”

“An acquired taste…” Xander finished.

“See?” Sakura said with a little pout, taking the kabayaki back. “That’s how I felt earlier!”

“This is different,” Leo said. “The taste wasn’t bad…”

“That texture…” Xander said, probably not finishing his sentence out of politeness. Mozu shrugged and took her skewer back, rubbing his arm.

“It’s okay,” she said as they started walking again, “It is a weird texture.”

“I guess,” Sakura said, “you two wouldn’t like sushi either then, hm?”

“What is that?” Xander asked.

“Raw fish,” Mozu said, taking a small piece with her fingers. “It’s mostly served in the noble houses.” Just hearing the words “raw fish” made their expressions sour, exchanging dejected glances. The girls giggled, finishing their kabayaki as they strolled down the road.

Sakura was right when she said it was like a little Hoshido. Mozu recognized so many special tools that she had used back when she lived there and Sakura pointed out the different kinds of weapons, explaining how they differed from their Nohrian counterparts. Along the way, they passed by a woman in a full kimono, kneeling as she played the shamisen in her hands and sung along with the tune. They stopped to listen to the familiar instrument and exotic type of singing that came with such music, giving her a couple of gold coins when she finished.

The Hoshidan trinkets and environment dwindled as they walked down the alley, finally returning to the Nohrian styles and shops. “My gosh,” Mozu said, “I didn’t know a place like that could exist here!”

“Hopefully,” Xander said, “with this treaty and more Hoshidans entering our kingdom through proper roads, we can expect that little pocket to expand. Maybe even reach the surface.”

Leo nodded. “It would be nice to have a couple of more Hoshidans. Hopefully the other Nohrians will play nice.”

Sakura smiled, looking up at him. “Even when you’re not in the study, you still worry about relations, huh?”

“W-well…” he said, looking ahead. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to bring that into this…”

Xander chuckled. “I’m afraid that’s something you’ll have to get used to, Sakura.”

She blinked in surprise, glancing at Mozu quickly. “I’ll have to…what?”

“Ah!” Leo said, stopping in his tracks. “Why don’t we go in here?” They stopped with him, staring up at the two story establishment before them. Its mahogany paint had faded, only strips of its walls still covered. A creaky sign hung askew with the words “O’BRIAR’S” painted onto it. Men walked in standing straight and carrying conversation, then they stumbled out with their faces red and guffawing. Leo’s face dropped once he had realized his poor choice and he felt his brother’s judgmental scowl on his back.

Sakura tilted her head, leaning forward. “So this is a…?”

“A pub,” came Xander, clearing his throat. “It’s no place for a…proper lady.”

“Mmm…” She looked up at them, putting a finger on her bottom lip. “Th-then by that logic, sh-shouldn’t we go in? A-after all, we’re not—“

“Proper ladies,” Mozu finished, squinting her eyes at Xander. He shifted in place, looking to his brother with crossed arms.

“H-hey,” Leo said, shrugging. “What’s the harm? One drink, then we leave.”

“Sounds good to me!” Mozu said, giggling as she and Sakura made a bee line for the entrance, the princes following closely behind. The inside was dark with the only light coming from the small candles on the tables and along the walls, and it reeked of sweat and liquor. Men and women pushed their way through the crowd, laughing and spilling their mugs. At one table, a bunch of burly men were engaged in a heated battle of arm wrestling. The others around them placed copper and silver pieces together, presumably for bets. As one arm fell onto the table with a thud, there came another roar of cheers and groans.

“Evenin’!” came a woman that stood in front of them, holding a tray of mugs. “Just the four of you?”

Leo nodded. “Do you have a table in the back?” he asked.

“Right this way.” Keeping close to each other, Mozu and Sakura took in the scenery of the dark pub, noticing all of the Nohrian trinkets that hung on the walls. Banners, paintings, maps, even swords hung around. As the barmaid had promised, she took them to a quiet table in the back corner, a little further away from the rambunctious crowd. As they sat, Xander and Leo adjusted their hoods, making sure that they sat in an angle that obscured their faces. Sakura put her hand on the table, only to lift it and rub her arm on her skirt. “What can I get ya?” asked the barmaid.

“Just one round,” Xander said. “Of…Admiral Taylor.” She nodded and walked off just before Leo swatted Xander on the arm.

“Rum?” he asked. “Are you serious?”

“What’s rum?” Sakura asked, leaning forward in her chair. She turned to Mozu who shrugged in response.

“It’s a sweet drink,” Xander said, shrugging Leo’s hand away.

“It’s also quite strong,”

“I-I still want it…J-just one!” Sakura said, her eyes bright, “W-we’re all adults anyway…” At that time, the barmaid had returned with four small glasses filled to nearly the rim of a golden brown liquid that looked like bright syrup. Leo dug into his pocket, handing her some money.

“We’ll just drink these and leave.” She walked away with a nod as the girls took their cups in hand, inspecting it. Sakura actually leaned in to take a small sniff, her eyes widening. “Alright,” Leo sighed, taking his drink as Xander followed suit. “To…to us,” he said.

“To us!” They clinked their glasses together and simultaneously took their first sip. For Xander and Leo, it was one good sized gulp. To Sakura and Mozu, it was one smoky sip burning their throats, fingers over their mouths as they held back their small coughs.

“Told you,” Leo said as Sakura held her glass in both hands.

“Ooh wow…” she said, fanning herself. “That’s way stronger than wine!” Mozu nodded in agreement, rubbing her neck a little.

“Well, when you live in Nohr,” Leo said, taking another small sip, “the wine is often not enough.” Even Xander chuckled at that joke, taking a sip himself.

In the next moment, a chair screeched along the floor as someone not too far from them jumped up. A tall man slammed his fists on the table, the glasses clanking. “Oi! Who said you coul’ talk like tha’ ‘bout Sherry?”

“Don’t get mad ‘cause I’m tellin’ the truth!” sad the shorter man sitting across from him.

“Shaddup! Wha’ do you know ‘bout love!”

“You don’ actually love ‘er! You jus’ love tha way she sucks—“ The taller man cried out and threw the shorter man a right hook, slamming him into the man sitting behind him.

“’Ey! Watch it!” And now this man stood up, clocking the short one away.

“Stay outta this!” yelled the tall man, sulking over to throw another hook. A bunch of men from the arm wrestling table had heard of the commotion and flocked towards the back of the pub where it had taken place, egging on as many men as they could to start socking each other.

“Ah…” Leo said, “we should go—“ All four gasped as a drunken man had stumbled on Leo, pawing his shoulders to stand back up. Once he did, he blinked at Leo twice.

“Hey…ain’t you the—“ A thick pair of hands pulled the drunk man back into the fray. Nothing more had to be said as the four of them stood up from their chairs and grouped together.

“I’ve got ya!” Mozu said, making sure Sakura was behind her and clinging to her shoulders as the entire pub had broken out. Xander took the lead, pushing away any brutes in their way.

“C’mere!” a rather tall, burly man shouted, his fist aimed right towards Xander’s head. The rest of the three gasped as his combat instincts kicked in, blocking the punch with his forearm. Xander reached his right arm back, his fist crashing into the man’s jaw with enough force to bring him down to the floor. He shook his hand, taking a breath from the adrenaline. As he looked back towards them, his eyes widened.

“Leo!” he yelled.

The other prince looked back just in time to duck from another jab, the fist nearly hitting Mozu and Sakura, the former pushing her back to avoid it. Leo stood up straight, elbowing the man in the gut to get him off their backs. “Twelve o’clock!” he shouted. Xander did not hesitant to turn back around and cuff the man on the nose before he could get the drop on him. He shoved the man away, allowing them to inch a little further to the exit. At one point, a man had fallen on the floor near Mozu and Sakura, his hand reaching out and grabbing one of Sakura’s ankles causing her to scream.

“Hey!” Mozu yelled, “Get lost!” She slammed her foot down on the man’s hand, hearing a large crack and his shriek of pain. Another was on his way to jab Xander from behind, but she wasn’t having any of it. With a scowl of steel, she reached for the man’s collar with her left, pulling him to her, and socked his jaw with her right. He staggered back with a growl, holding his now crooked jaw. Before he could lunge at them, Xander’s head whipped around and he delivered a cuff to the back of his head, knocking him down.

“C’mon!” he growled, grasping onto Mozu’s hand. In one last push, he and Leo shoved back the ones in their way until they stumbled outside. Once free from the chaos, they slowed to a stop and took hasty breaths, Leo and Xander leaning on their knees with their knuckles red and battered. They pat themselves down, checking their pockets and nodding once their valuables seemed to be safe.

Mozu looked over to Sakura, asking her, “Are you hurt?” She shook her head in response.

“Thank you,” she said, standing straight.

Leo sighed deeply, standing straight as well and adjusting his cloak. “That was far too close,” he said, dusting off his shirt. “Do you think he will remember seeing me?”

“Either it will be nothing but black,” Xander said, rubbing his hands, “or he will blame it on the liqueur.”

Sakura held her hands in front of her chest. “Wow…what a night,” she said with a sigh.

Leo whipped his head to her. “N-night’s not over yet!” he said, motioning to her. “We…missed something back there. I promise it’s harmless this time,”

“…Actually,” Xander said, “There is something I wanted to see that is this way…” The girls watched as Leo and Xander stared off for a good half-minute before smiling and nodding to each other. Xander pulled Mozu’s arm a little closer. “Then we part ways here, Brother. I can trust you to arrive home safely?” With their eyes wide, Sakura and Mozu gawked at each other before turning to their respective princes. Mouthing words, Mozu pointed to her and Xander then back to Sakura as if asking why she was going with him. Sakura replied by pointing to her and Leo then shrugging as if saying she had no clue.

“We’ll be safe. The same goes for you, Brother.” He looked down at Sakura as she straightened her posture, closing her hanging jaw as to not give away that she was making gestures at Mozu. “Shall we?”

“Y-yes…” They waved to the others before Leo turned them both around, leading her down a different road. He took a deep long breath, walking a little slower once they were out of view from Xander and Mozu. Sakura walked beside him close enough that her head nearly rested on his shoulder. “H-how are your hands?” she asked, looking down at them.

He held his hand up, his knuckles still red. “Fine, I suppose. Didn’t cut them open,”

“Gosh, that was kind of scary, hm?”

“I was more worried about you then about me,” he said, dropping his hand. “My deepest apologies for thinking that one drink was a good idea…”

“You didn’t know,”

“Still not much of an excuse,” he said with a sigh. “Don’t get me wrong, I love our countrymen, but I had forgotten how…base they could be.” Leo’s features softened as he glanced to her. “At least you’re okay…”

She blushed, trying not to smile as hard as she would like. “This…this is strange,” she said, though her tone was happy.

“How so?”

“I-I don’t know! I guess…” She chuckled. “O-officially, I should be with, uhm, your brother,”

“True,” he said, though his tone was still light. “Would you rather go back with him?”

“No, no!” she said, stopping so she could see his eyes. “I…u-uh…” He simply smiled, waiting patiently. “I-I’d rather be with you…”

In a second, his eyes looked down at the floor before going back to her, his free hand brushing some nonexistent dust off his cloak. “I-it’s an honor,” he said as they starting strolling again.

Sakura came a little closer, her voice soft and relaxed. “I’ve had a lot of fun…even with that last bit,”

“That’s good to hear,” he said, turning his head a little towards her. “I only hope it lasts,”

“…me too,” she said, her voice soft. Her hands tightened around his arm, but not to the point of discomfort as her cheek rested on his shoulder. Being so close to him so easily came off as strange to her, but in her heart, she knew it felt right. He made no movements to resist hers, and simply walked slower to accommodate. “Thank you for taking me here,” she said as they came across a rather quieter part of the underground, somewhere around the edges as there were long tunnels and passageways around leading to the outside of the walls. A three-story building sat on the edge with a sign up front saying “INN” and in front of it, a lone man in ragged clothes and torn shoes played a small Nohrian instrument with strings for spare change. Leo lifted an eyebrow, stopping once they were close.

“Thank me later,” he said, breaking away from Sakura to speak with the man. She watched him offer a good handful of gold to him, the man nodding and thanking him profusely. He packed the instrument in its case and handed it to Leo before walking down the long tunnel. Sakura tilted her head and pursed her lips as he returned with the case.

“Did you just…buy that man’s…?”

“Hm? Oh yes,” he said, looking at it. “It’s a bit beat, but it will do. Now, let’s see…” He said, bringing her to the inn. They walked inside and were met with a man at the front desk. “Evening. Just using the roof,” Leo said, pointing up.

“Fifteen gold,” said the innkeeper. Leo rolled his eyes and dug out the pieces, setting them on the desk. The innkeeper shrugged, allowing them to go upstairs, Sakura following closely behind.

She whispered, “Isn’t that a lot just to go to the roof?”

“I actually wouldn’t know,” he said back. Once they reached the door that opened up to the roof, he extended his hand to help her out, bringing her to her feet.

“Oh wow…” she said, walking a little towards the edge. She peered ahead, looking at the snaking roads and multitude of colors and tents that extended for well over a mile. Maybe more. Despite the still present murmur of voices from afar, it was rather quiet up here. Behind her, she heard Leo set down the case and open its latches. She turned and watched him take out the instrument, plucking on its strings a little. “What’s that?”

“A violin,” he said with a smile. “It’s quite common. Princess Elise plays it beautifully,”

“And you?” she asked, playful curiosity in her eyes.

“I…dabble,”

“Hmm…” She tilted her head, watching him tighten and tune the strings much like she did with her koto. “It looks a little strange only having four strings…”

“Hm? Oh, I bet,” he said, taking out a long stick with another string attached to it. “Of course, I think your koto playing is a little more complex than this.”

She shrugged, sitting down on the floor, hands over her knees as she looked up, ready to listen. Leo breathed softly and placed the violin under his chin, playing a gentle note using the bow. Already, the tender sound of the violin captured her attention. His fingers plucked and pressed at the strings as he rocked the bow back and forth, creating the different notes that way, the precision reminding her of her own playing. After a couple of notes, she squinted a little and strained her ear a little more. No way…he wasn’t…

Oh gods he _was_. She could recognize those notes anywhere, even on a Nohrian instrument she hadn’t seen before. Somehow, he had translated the melody that she played that day at the clinic onto his violin. The tempo and timing of each note was far from perfect and he may have missed a couple of them here and there, but it was impressive how accurate he was otherwise from only hearing it once. Like her, he had closed his eyes to feel for the passion in each stroke of the bow, his red knuckles forming lines on his hands from the strains. The violin easily mimicked the somber wails of the song, like a spirit singing within. Her entire being was entranced with the almost mystical sound of his playing. He could have played any other song, perhaps even better, but he chose this one in particular. He chose the song that reflected her.

Finally, he ended with quiet note that slowly faded out of existence. As he took away the violin and relaxed his arms, Sakura sat there speechless and unable to move, the only sound being her own breathing to herself. Leo cleared his throat and knelt down, putting the violin away. “I know…” he said. “I must have butchered it,”

“H-huh? Wha? No!” she said, sitting up on her knees. “H-how did you do that?”

“Do what?” he asked, closing the case.

“Learn the song. S-surely you didn’t…”

Leo smirked and sat down in front of her. “Play it by ear? How else would I have done it?”

“B-but it was so long ago. You’re telling me you _remembered_ what it sounded like?”

He shrugged. “Of course I did. It’s hard to forget such an amazing melody, is it not?” Sakura sat back a little, listening to him further. “I developed the skill with my previous music tutor. For some people, like Xander, it comes easy. But, for me…” he sighed. “I’ve had to work and work at it…very much like all aspects in my life,”

“I’ve noticed,” she said, scooting a little closer, “but it made you who you are.” Her fingers brushed by his, just barely touching his tips. He looked down for a split second before slipping his fingers between hers, nearly intertwining.

“Yes it did. It taught me that if I wanted something, then all I needed was a bit of effort and a lot of hard work.” Now, their hands held each other, fingers lacing together as she heard her own heart beat hasten.

“Then…what do you want most?”

“I want…” he paused, taking a deep breath, “a better Nohr. I’ve always had and for so long, I worked in the shadows of my father, of my brother to achieve it…but now…” he lifted her hand off the ground, holding it before him, “there’s a change.” Her throat dried as she parted her lips, clutching on to every word. “Sakura,” he said, looking right into her eyes, “though I know the circumstances to be perilous and shrouded in uncertainty, there is one thing I am sure about. If I never try, then I will spend the rest of my days in the dark filled with regret.” He lifted himself to a kneeling position, still holding her hand in his. Elation and anticipation surged through her veins as she wobbled to quickly stand.

“L-Leo…” She felt her chest rise up and down as she dared not break eye contact, clinging onto his hand like she would fall if she did not. Yet, his eyes were calm without any burden as he spoke with a voice of velvet. She knew that this would eventually happen and happen soon, yet, she felt just as excited as she would have been if it were a complete surprise. She didn’t think she should be _this_ happy, but she couldn’t help it at all.

“With you by my side, I am ready to see the light.” Sakura’s stomach filled with butterflies, trying to hold still as his free hand reached into his cloak. She pressed her lips together, holding back any sounds as he pulled out a small black box of velvet. “Sakura,” he said, voice filled with endearment, as he opened the box, revealing a ring inside so beautiful that she gasped. The band itself was silver and carved with a twisted design as it presented a white, multifaceted lotus cut diamond. “Will you do me the honor of—“

“Yes!” she burst out, clapping her hand around her mouth as Leo’s brows lifted. “Oh sh-shoot! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“Th-that’s okay,” he said with a half-chuckle. “May I…?” She nodded quickly, her cheeks hurting from grinning so wide.

“Okay. Sakura…” He smirked, as if waiting for her to interrupt again. “Will you marry me?”

Her shoulders dropped, any weight on them lifting away as her heartbeat raced inside. “Yes.” He plucked the ring right out of its box and slipped it on her finger before standing. The second that he did, she threw her arms around him, hugging him close like she did in the clinic. Leo let out a small grunt from the surprise, but he held her back all the same, laughing with her.

“It won’t be easy,” he said, still managing a hopeful smile, “but I promise to try my hardest to make you and I happy.”

“Yes!” she said, nodding. “I promise too…” Oh how she wished that Mother could see this, her daughter taking this route. She knew it opened up more questions than answers, but being with him was worth it in the end. Being here in his arms only proved it. “S-so…what do we do now?” she asked, energy still coursing through her.

“Well,” he said, “night’s not over yet. I believe the underground still has more to offer, and I truly don’t mean anymore impulsive decisions to walk into a bar,”

“O-okay!” she said, pulling away from the hug but still holding onto his hand. She turned to walk to the door, but he didn’t budge. “Wait.” He drew her back, pulling her close. “There is…something I’ve been meaning to do…for quite a while.” Red dashed along his cheeks as his eyes glanced at her up and down. She saw his lips part as he lifted a hand to her cheek, gently brushing his fingers along her jaw line. As if she hadn’t had enough anticipation tonight.

“…Then do it,” she said, voice hushed. Leo eased in, tipping her chin up a little.

He whispered back, “Close your eyes…” Sakura did as he asked, eyes fluttering closed as she felt him draw even closer. He pressed his soft lips against hers, his hand slipping behind her head. For a second, her body tensed, but then she melted into its warmth, dropping the last of her guard. Her hands clung to his shirt as he leaned her back, fingers running through her hair.

Though the outside was silent, her emotions were anything but. Her heart pounded like fireworks in her chest and her body filled with so much elation that she thought she would burst. As her hands reached up to wrap around his shoulders, one of her fingers ran over the ring on her left finger. Just reminding her that it was there eased any feelings of doubt.

* * *

 “Lemme see,” Mozu said, reaching for Xander’s hands. She lifted one before her, frowning at the cracked red knuckles.

“It’s nothing,” he said, slipping his hand away. “I’ll get ice on them once we return home.”

She crossed her arms. “And when _do_ we go home?”

He chuckled. “Right after this. I promise…this way,” Xander said, leading her back to where they came from. As they came back to the stone wall door, Mozu squished her brows together as she watched him pull it open.

“We’re…leaving?”

“Just going to a better location,” he said, clapping his hands to rid the dust again. She narrowed her eyes and followed him out towards the horses. He took Algol’s reins and gestured for her to mount. Once she did, he sat behind her again. “Ready?”

“Mhmm!” He kicked Algol’s sides and broke her into a gallop towards the plains away from the city. The wall grew smaller and smaller the further they ventured out, making her wonder once again just where they were going. Riding like this reminded her of the two of them on their trip. Just like last time, the wind beat against her cheeks and his arms kept tight around her waist. She thought it strange to even allow herself to feel like she did before, but these were strange circumstances. Xander, the crown prince, had snuck out of the castle and city with her, a peasant girl. Since she wasn’t lying about her name this time, she figured it best to just allow whatever joy she felt, however temporary it may be.

Not too long after, he slowed Algol into a canter to navigate through some woods.

“It’s just up this hill,” he said, leading them up its slope. “Actually, I meant to bring you here on the trip. Though, due to the bear incident…” She looked up, squinting to try to figure out what he was planning, but he kept a reserved smile. Surely he didn’t bring her here to make up for one lost destination.

“…If you say so…” She kept her eyes forward and they widened once they reached the top of the hill. “Oh…my gosh!”

Before her was a long, rolling field of dark flowers, swaying in the breeze. The moonlight from the clear sky reflected on their petals, giving them an ethereal violet shine. They stretched for miles, untouched with no one else present but themselves. Xander dismounted and offered his hand to her, waiting for her. Still astonished by the natural beauty before her, she allowed him to help put her feet on the grass. “Wh-where…”

“The Field of Night,” he said, bringing her closer with small steps. She broke away from him and strolled to the edge, kneeling down. The flower petals were of a design she had not seen before and its color was the darkest of any flower she had ever seen. “Careful,” he said, standing behind her, “all roses have thorns.”

“These are…roses?” she asked, standing up to gaze at the distance.

“Black roses.” He paused. “Do you remember?” he asked, gaining her attention. “What I said to you in the courtyard?”

She frowned, the memory unpleasant. “Before or after I told you?” Already, her mind’s eye flashed with the image of his anger.

“…Before.”

She forced herself to recollect the moments before she had broken their hearts. Her heart raced as she tried to block out the way he yelled, the way she begged. Finally, she looked up. “You said…that Nohr is most beautiful at night,”

“Yes. And I believe there is no better proof than this field.” He looked toward it, admiring it as he stood up straight with his chin high. “During the day, they’re just bleak looking flowers, but at night…”

“…It’s amazing,” she said, still entranced by their slow dance in the wind. In the moments of silence, her thoughts returned after all of the excitement from the underground capital. She blinked once, turning her head up toward Xander. Though he wore the clothes of a peasant, he couldn’t hide the innate regality in his features and expressions. So why, after they agreed to not act on their feelings, why did he risk bringing her here where they were alone?

Mozu moved in front of him, causing him to look down at her. “Okay,” she said, stretching out her arms before dropping them at her sides. “I’m ready,”

“Ready for what?”

“To hear whatever bad news you’re gonna tell me.”

Xander scoffed, lifting a brow. “How do you know it’s bad news?”

“W-well!” she said, curling her lips into a pout, “I can’t imagine there being good news! Or maybe just okay news,” she said. “I just know somethin’s up!”

“So I have an ulterior motive, is what you’re saying?”

“Kinda!” she said, crossing her arms. “Y-you don’t just all of a sudden whisk us away for a night of fun then take me all the way out here. N-not after we…you know…” Walking away that morning was one of the hardest things she had done and she certainly did not want to do it again.

“…Fair enough,” he said. “I did bring you out here to tell you something. I hope you don’t think ill of me for doing so.” She wondered what could that mean? Oh gods, was he going to ask her to leave? Or would he send her away to go work for some other rich Nohrian noble? Something terrible like that. “The circumstances of our meeting and time together are trifled with coincidence, but I believe there’s more to it than that. I think, truly, that I was meant to meet you.” Huh, what was this? “No one before you…challenged my beliefs.” He took a step closer, towering right before her. What was he doing? Was he buttering her up for the bad news? Xander reached for her hands, holding them gently like he did when they first met. “When I saw you earlier in the kitchen, I knew that that was no coincidence either. I had been conflicted between choosing what was best for Nohr or best for myself, but then…then I realized they are one and the same. And now, after so long, I know what kind of a life I want,”

Now her heart raced like a wild horse and her brows furrowed up in worry. “Wh-what are y-you saying? Wh-what kind of l-life?” Mozu thought for a moment that she had gone insane and started hearing such dangerous words of affection from him. So much anxiety had welled up in her chest that her dress became too tight.

His eyes and smile remained calm. “The kind of life where even though countless crises will plague me, I can face them all because I’ll have you at my side.” She felt the wind knock out of her as she stopped breathing for a moment. Oh gods, oh gods, what is he?... Her jaw dropped as she watched him slide down, taking a knee. Her mind’s voice screamed.

“Wh-wha…?” No words could possibly describe how baffled she was.

“Mozu,” he said, reaching into his pocket to present a small black box. “I realize now that it has to be you and no one else. I promise to stop at nothing to create a better future for Nohr and the both of us…if you’ll have me.” He opened the box as her eyes bulged at the ring inside. The band was split into two strips, both outlined with a carved design. What jumped out at her was the rock of a square diamond in the center, surrounded by two smaller ones on either side. Her knees wobbled as her eyes grew hot, unsure if this was some sick dream that she was having. “Will you marry me?”

She froze like a statue, her hands clamming up. Did he just say that? Just ask her of that while he looked at her with such a tender smile? It was too much for her heart to handle she she thought that she would keel over right there. After not speaking for so long, his smile faded. “M…Mozu?”

“Y-you’re not serious!” she burst out. “You can’t be!”

“I assure you that I am,” he said, narrowing his brows. “This is no joking matter and any man who thinks so is a coward.” Of course he wasn’t joking, she should know better than that. Xander’s not the type.

“Th-then for real?” she asked, her eyes pricking with heat as elation surged from her stomach. “You’re not pullin’ my leg?”

“Never,” he said, smile returning. “You’re the one I want, honest and true.”

Mozu let out a half-laugh, half-gasp, trying to even comprehend what this would mean. They could be together for true this time. And married…oh gods, and married! So she really would wake up with him, be able to kiss him, just be with him. “Th-then…” The life she fantasized with him was only one word away. “Yes!” she blurted out before anything else slipped out of her mouth. “Yes, I’ll marry you!” She nearly bounced in place as he slipped the ring on her finger. Gods, it was heavy, would you look at that! She knew that fancy dresses and jewelry never called out to her, but she couldn’t help but feel giddy wearing such a luxurious item. “Oh gosh, how do I know this ain’t some dream I’m havin’?”

“A small pinch would do it,” he said, grasping her fingers.

“I’ll do ya one better!” Without any warning, she leapt forward and threw her arms around his neck, tackling him to the ground with a laugh. Though he groaned briefly when his back hit the floor, he laughed as well, holding her too. “I-I can’t believe this is happening!” she said, lifting her head to look at him.

“Neither can I.” He propped himself up on his elbow, one hand resting on the small of her back. “If this truly is a dream, then pray mercy onto the one who wakes me.” Mozu laughed, slipping her hands to her shoulders so she could admire her new ring. He noticed her and looked down at the ring as well. “It was my mother’s.” She froze again, smile dropping.

“H-huh? Y-your mother’s—A-are you sure you can give it to me?!”

“I want you to have it,” he said, holding her hand. “And I am sure. I wouldn’t have proposed with it otherwise.”

“Oh geeze…” she said, a nervous laugh escaping her. “I’m definitely not losing this one, not like…” She swallowed hard, fingers going to her neck. Xander glanced between her fingers and face, connecting two and two together.

“What happened to it?”

“Oh…” she said with a sigh. “The guards took it away from me while I was…” She watched his smile fade away. “…in…the dungeon…” Oh drat, why did she bring that up? She narrowed her eyes with another pout. “N-not this one, though! If they want this ring, they’ll hafta cut off my entire hand!”

He chuckled, interlacing their fingers. “I’m sure you’d give them hell if they tried.” Xander sat up with a soft groan, his position probably hadn’t been the most comfortable. She scooted back and found herself sitting on his lap with his hand on her back again. Mozu sat up on her knees to meet him at eye level.

“So…” she said, thumb twiddling with the ring. “What happens after this?”

“Tomorrow, we will…have to tell Father.”

“Y-your fa…” Mozu had never met the man, but she could guess what kind of a man the King of Nohr was, especially if even _Xander_ felt a little hesitant to tell him. “H-he’ll be p-pretty mad, huh?”

“Oh yes, he will be quite…irate.” Why did she feel like that was an understatement. “But he is a father and our father, still. Leo and I will give nothing but our best to make him understand,”

“Okay…wait, Leo?”

His smile returned. “Yes, I imagine he and Sakura are overjoyed right now as well.”

Mozu gasped with a bright grin on her face. “So that’s what tonight’s been all about, huh?” She jabbed at his chest. “Butterin’ me and Sakura up so you could pop the question!”

He chuckled, running some of his fingers through his hair. “Perhaps… But did you enjoy it?”

“Of course!” she said, bringing herself closer. “Even that little scuffle in the pub was kinda fun,”

“A few battered knuckles are worth it,” he said, holding her cheek in his palm. “I would fend off a hundred more men if it meant hearing you say yes all over again.” A bashful smile curled on her lips as she felt her face flush. Gosh, he was always so serious when he said such things that it made her heart pound. A part of her hoped that she would never get used to it. 

“Oh…” She leaned her head forward, touching his nose with hers. “You’re gonna turn me redder than a berry.” Her voice hushed with their proximity.

“I see no problem with that,” he said, voice low as the hand on her cheek slid to the back of her head.

“I…I can’t wait to spend my life with you…”

“Neither can I…” He brought her head closer, lips ghosting over hers. “My queen…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weeee it's all happening! Of course, we aren't done yet and there are still some conflicts, big and small, that need to be dealt with. Even so, I'm glad that we've made it this far. I also recently took on a new job that will start tomorrow (9/13) where I sell lingerie, oooooooh~ Still, I should still have plenty of time to keep on writing but if my updates slow down a bit, well, now you know why!
> 
> I cant wait to read your comments and concerns !


	17. Katya

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So you guys. I'm really tipsy. I finished the chapter before my third drink though so I should be fine. Any remaining typos, I'll fix later... also I realized that some of my chapters still have some typos here and there. Eventually, I'll go back and fix 'em ANYWAY So this chapter and next are the fluffy chapters before shit goes down...again :'D I hope you enjoy!

**Katya**

 

Riding back to the castle wasn’t as dismal as Mozu thought it would be. Yes, they would miss each other until the morning, but at least she knew that they had a future together. Any moment, she expected to wake up, but that moment never came and she continued to rest her back against his chest and feel his arm around her waist. She couldn’t keep her eye off the rock that weighed down her finger, keeping her hand tight so it wouldn’t slip off. Not that she would ever, ever sell it, but she did wonder just how much it was worth. Probably more than all of the valuables her village had combined.

Xander brought them back to the clearing where Laslow and Odin had led them, the two of them still there. Laslow had been lounging on a rock, watching Odin stand and fiddle around with his tome. “I’ve got the spell SOMEWHERE around here…”

Laslow yawned. “Ugh, give it a rest, you’re never gonna—Ah! Milord!” He stood up straight to bow as Odin twirled around to do the same.

“Welcome back, Milord! How was your dangerous rendezvous?” Laslow walked up to Odin just to elbow him on the arm.

“The best night I could wish for,” Xander said, smiling down at her. She couldn’t help but grin too as he dismounted. “And Leo?”

“You just missed him,” Laslow said. “From the looks of it, he was successful as well,”

“That’s good to hear,” Xander said, offering his hand to Mozu to help her down. Once her feet touched the ground, he spoke again to the retainers. “Thank you,” he said. “To all of you,”

“Odin Dark does not falter in the face of true romance!” said Odin, making incredible sweeping gestures with his arms.

Laslow rolled his eyes and took Algol’s reins. “It was our pleasure, Milord,” he said. “Where I come from, royals get to marry whomever they so choose.” With a corner of his lips curled in a smirk, he winked at Mozu.

Xander crossed his arms. “And do I finally get to know _where_ exactly you come from?”

“I’ll tell you on the stag night,” Laslow said, leading Algol away. “Have a nice night, Milord.” Xander shook his head as Odin clapped his hands, hopping over to the secret door.

“Yes!” he said, opening it up for them. “I will finally get to reveal my origin story that, up until then, was completely shrouded in dark…darkness.” He ignited a fire in his hands to safely lead them down the dark passage until they resurfaced in the shed, inside castle walls once again. “Well, Milord,” he said once they were outside. “I bid you farewell on this night. And you as well, Milady!” He bowed and turned on his heel to walk in the opposite direction.

Mozu looked up at Xander, eyes wide. “Did he just call me ‘Milady’?”

“Yes…” Xander said, voice hesitant. “That’s…strange to you?”

“Yeah,” she said as they walked through the courtyard. “I mean…I’m no Lady, ya know?” Xander opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it after a pause, simply returning her remark with a secretive smile. She squinted at him and crossed her arms, pursing her lips. Well, whatever, she could figure it out later.

They strolled at a leisurely pace, the abundance of different flowers distracting her. She wandered to one of the nearby bushes to find a bunch of roses, but these were red. “I didn’t get to appreciate all of these last time,” she said, looking over towards one of the walls covered in vines.

“Another one of these nights,” he said, “I’d be happy to give you a much better tour,”

“Hm? Why not tonight?” she asked, turning around.

Xander sighed, his eyes glancing down and away. “A groundskeeper might see us if we don’t hurry.”

At that, she frowned and hid her ring hand behind the other. “Oh…so we can’t be seen…together?”

“It’s not as you think,” he said, reaching forward to tip her chin up with his fingers. “If anyone saw us together, they would report it to my father immediately. I’d hate for any ill rumors to spread to him before I have a chance to confront him about it myself.” She couldn’t help but nod and smile, knowing that he was right in that sense. He was always doing the right thing and he always would, no doubt.

“I get it,” she said, taking his hand in hers and walking with him again.

“Speaking of ill rumors, I hate to ask you of this…” His fingers touched her ring as if making sure it was there. “Would it be possible for you to stay with Sakura tonight?”

“I guess, but why?”

“It might sound rather harsh, but, I don’t think it’s a good idea to stay in the servants’ quarters wearing this.”

Yikes, he was right about that too. Mozu could imagine it now: the maids would tease her relentlessly and perhaps even accuse her of stealing it. Or worse, someone would snatch it from her in her sleep. “Then, yeah,” she said, sounding a little dejected. “I can stay with her…” They reached the entrance of the courtyard with the two doors, Xander stopping them there.

“Just for tonight,” he said. “Once it’s made official tomorrow, I will arrange a room for you,”

A room would be nice, but she feared that it wouldn’t stop there. “D-don’t go overboard!” she said. “I already got the royal treatment, y-ya know…don’t need it all again.”

He chuckled dryly. “Noted. You go ahead,” he said. “I should wait for Laslow to return.” He was probably trying to avoid any servants inside seeing them together. Mozu could take a hint, so she turned to him one last time, gazing up into his eyes. He had done the same for her, holding her hand in his as the moonlight outlined his now soft features.

 _Gods, I’m going to_ marry _him_.

Her heart jumped in her chest realizing that she could admire him all she wanted now since he belonged to no one else. She could hug him and kiss him and have him all to herself. Mozu could hardly wait.

“So, this is good night?” she asked, a loving smile still rounding her cheeks.

“Hopefully,” he said, brushing some hair away from her forehead. “It’s only one in the few that we’ll have to spend apart.”

Now she felt like goop as she hid a really stupid giggle in her throat, looking next to her instead of at him. “Y-you’re never gonna let up on saying embarrassing things like that, are ya?”

“I’m afraid not,” he said, bringing her face back to see him. “They are the truth after all,”

“S-still!” she said, resting her cheek in his warm palm. “Ah well…guess I gotta figure out how to get back at ya for them, huh?”

“I’d like to see you try.” Now a smug grin lied on his lips, one that made her brows furrow. Mozu took a big step forward until there was less than an inch between them and reached up, seizing his collar in her hands. As fast as she could, she shut her eyes and lifted herself until only her toes touched the ground. Even after she did that, she couldn’t feel anything near her lips. Heat flushed to her face as she peeked one eye open to see that he was still inches away, her chin barely up to his collar bone. Xander kept his grin, but his eyes softened from his initial look of surprise. He held back a snicker seeing her eyes widen once she realized she wasn’t as close as she thought she was.

“Y-you!” she whined, feeling her legs wobble. Xander closed his eyes, soft laughs escaping him as he wrapped his arms around her to help her stay up. “You got no right bein’ this giant!”

“My apologies,” he said, lifting her off the ground so she could gain those extra inches. “How’s this?”

She still pinched her eyes at him, trying to scowl but it didn’t work for long, not when he focused on her with such endearing eyes. “This…this is fine…”

He leaned his head forward until their foreheads touched, his voice hushed. “I’d like to kiss you good night…”

“O-okay…” Geeze, she thought, couldn’t have thought of something better to say? His eyes went half-lidded as he leaned in and parted his lips. She closed her eyes just before she felt warmth on her own. They tilted their heads, deepening the kiss. This is the fourth time, she thought. And still, it felt like the first. She was the first to pull away, but only because she knew more of these were soon to come. Xander set her down, his touch slipping away from her. “Well…” she sighed. “Good night.”

He held onto her hand last and leaned down, lifting it to his lips to place a chaste kiss on top. “Good night,” he said, letting go. “Sweet dreams.” With the heat from his lips still lingering on her hand, she slipped away but still kept her eyes on him. She reached the door, giving him one last look before closing it behind her. A deep sigh escaped her as she leaned against the door, her knees still weak and threatening to give out.

Mozu held up her hand, moving her fingers to see her ring shine in different facets. A country girl like her had no right to wear it, she knew, but it was on her finger nonetheless.

What a night. But it wasn’t over yet, she had to tell Sakura! “Right!” Mozu maneuvered through the halls and back to Sakura’s room, hiding her hand in case any servant walked by. She slowed down to a brisk pace once she reached the hall and found that Charlotte was taking her guard shift right now. “H-hi!” she said, hiding her hand behind her back. “Is Lady Sakura…?”

“Hey, Mozu. Yeah she just came back a while ago. Benny told me you two ran off, what gives?”

“Ahh…” She inched toward the door, putting her left, then quickly switching it out for her right hand on the knob. “S-secret…p-promised not to tell!”

“Awe…” Charlotte groaned, pouting. “Something fishy’s up--,”

“Bye, Charlotte!” Mozu swung the door open and darted inside, shutting the door behind her with a thud, earning a “HEY!” from the fighter.

Sakura turned around, having already changed out of the peasant clothes and into a nightgown. She stopped folding the kerchief in her hand, dropped it, and held her arms out. “Mozu!” Instantly, her face brightened as both ran forward to hug.

“Lady Sakura!” Mozu squeezed Sakura tight, lifting her off the ground and twirling her around, earning a giddy laugh from her. “You won’t believe the night I’ve had!” she said, setting her down.

“You won’t believe mine either! Wait…” She glanced down at Mozu’s hand and Mozu did the same to her. Mozu, of course, knew Leo proposed but she didn’t get to see the stunning ring while Sakura was finding out about her engagement for the first time. “Y-you too?”

“Mhmm!”

“W-with Xander?”

“Yes!” she squealed, wanting to lift Sakura up again. The princess gasped and clasped her hands, moving them up at down.

“Oh my gods, congratulations! Tell me all about it!”

“B-but you first,” she said, pulling Sakura to the bed to talk. “And then I’ll go.”

“O-okay!” She sat on the edge, fingering her lotus-cut ring. “W-well, after we separated, we went to a quiet part. He bought a violin—that’s a Nohrian instrument—off a poor man and took me to the roof of the inn.” Mozu nodded eagerly, sitting on the edge of her sit bones. “A-and h-he played me a Hoshidan song!”

“H-he did? B-but how?”

“He listened to me once playing the koto and copied the notes from _memory_!” Sakura laughed, like she still could not believe it. “I-it was so sweet…” Now she looked away, her eyes lost as she held her hand against her heart. “A-and then…th-that’s when he asked me…t-to marry him.” Mozu gasped, imagining the scenario in her head. “A-and he gave this speech that was so…” She closed her eyes and held her cheeks in her hands. “Mother’s right, I’ll be so happy!”

“Awe, I’m really happy for you, Lady Sakura,” she said with a genuine smile. “You deserve it,”

“I-I don’t r-really know…” she said, still retaining a smile as her eyes glanced off. “B-but, I want to hear about you! Th-that came out of nowhere, didn’t it?”

“You’re tellin me,” Mozu said, fingers still playing with her ring. “Gosh…lesse, we left the underground and rode out to the fields. Didja know that there’s a field of black roses called the Field of Night?”

“N-no, but that sounds beautiful,” she said, nodding.

“Well, we went there…” She paused, locking the memory in her mind as she told it. “Here I was thinkin’ that he was gonna fire me or somethin’, but…but he ends up getting’ on one knee!” She laughed. “When he asked, I didn’t believe him at all and froze up like a weed in the winter…and now…” Again, she moved her finger in a way where she could see each individual facet in the diamonds. “W-we’re gonna get married…”

Saying it aloud just made it all the more clear to her. Gods, she really was gonna do it, huh?

Sakura softly laughed behind one of her fists, her voice calm. “I’m so happy for you,” she said, putting her hands on Mozu’s. “Gosh, I guess that means you won’t be a handmaiden anymore, huh?”

“Huh?” she asked, having not considered anything about her change of status. If that was even a thing. “Who says I can’t?”

The princess’s expression dropped, concern written in her eyes. “W-well...the king, probably.” Mozu’s eyes widened. “You’ll be of higher rank than me.”

At that, she snorted until a laugh escaped her. “Whaaa? No way,” she said, waving her hand. “I mean, you’re royalty, so you’re still leagues ahead…” She watched Sakura slowly shake her head.

“Y-you do know that you take the rank of your husband, right?”

“Huh? In Nohr?”

“In Hoshido too,” Sakura said, lifting her hand. “So, Garon is king and at the top, right?” Mozu nodded as she moved her hand down a notch. “Then it’s Xander,”

“Uh-huh,”

“And then you.”

Mozu froze, realizing that she was a lot closer to the king then she thought. Way closer. “W-w-wait—th-that can’t be—sh-shouldn’t there be s-someone else between us!?”

“Well, if there was a queen,” Sakura said, “then she would be between Garon and Xander.” She frowned. “So when you marry, you’ll be crown princess.” Mozu froze, staring at Sakura like she had two heads that were screaming. “…Y-you do know that you’ll, uh, be _queen_ too…right?”

Two heads turned into three as Mozu’s throat dried and her entire body went numb. She heard Sakura call her name and saw her hand wave before her eyes, but neither of those feelings actually registered in her mind. Wait a damn minute, this couldn’t be the first time she was hearing of this. She pretended to be Sakura for a whole month knowing the princess was supposed to be queen but that was because, well, she was _supposed_ to be! _She_ knew that from start, not Mozu. Did Xander say something like that earlier?

_Neither can I, my queen…_

How the hell did she forget. Oh, right, he kissed her right afterwards. He distracted her with his beautiful kisses, dammit!

“Mozu…” Sakura whined, worry hinging on her voice as she squeezed Mozu’s shoulders. Sight returned to her eyes as she scooted back and reached over, taking a thick throw pillow in her hands.

As Sakura watched with cautious eyes, Mozu stuffed her face into the pillow and shouted, “QUEEN.” Sakura flinched back, despite her scream being muffled by the pillow, and stared at her with wide eyes. The handmaiden took a big gulp of breath when she lowered the pillow and squeezed it in her arms. “I-I don’t know the first thing about being queen!” she said, running her fingers through her hair, almost tearing it out. Sakura put a finger over her mouth and waved her hand down to quiet her, but to no avail. “Oh gawds, I’m gonna ruin the country! It took me forever to figure out a fork and knife, how am I supposed to—Ahhh!”

“M-Mozu…”

“Wha? O-oh…” She took another deep breath and swallowed the air, clutching the pillow even tighter. “S-sorry…”

“Don’t freak out,” she said with a smile, rubbing her shoulder. “I’m sure you being queen weighed in a lot on Xander’s decision, and he still decided to marry you.” Mozu nodded, willing her heart to calm. “You won’t be alone, you know. He’s going to be there with you and so will I.”

She nodded again, hearing Sakura’s voice of reason and internalizing it the best she could. “But still…” she said. “I-I didn’t even know th-that I woulda been a higher rank than you,”

“It’ll be a lot,” she said, still comforting her, “But you can do it. I actually think you’ll be a better queen than you’d think,”

“H-hm? Why?”

“Because you care.” Mozu blinked in surprise, tilting her head. “You care about the regular countrymen because you were among them yourself. The people of Nohr are sure to appreciate that,” she said. Suddenly, knowing that made it easier for her to see it as Sakura kept on going. “The nobles might be harder to please, but, I’m sure you’d win over the hearts of the people… _your_ people.”

“My…people?”

It was strange to think of it that way, but Sakura was telling the truth. Mozu couldn’t see herself in fancy dresses and having tea, but being queen was so much more than that. She could definitely see herself out in the capital city, greeting people and listening to their problems. They were the backbone of Nohr and she knew that because she was one of them herself for Hoshido. She could visit the farmlands and see if she could improve anything there, maybe even pick up a shovel for herself.

If only her village could see where she was. One day, she was a farmer toiling away under the sun, prepared to do that for the rest of her life. When that was taken away from her, she served Lady Sakura and thought that she would do that until the end of her days. Wrong. So wrong. Now she knew for certain that she had just been walking down the long winded road to the present time.

She might not have wanted to be queen, but she did want to help Nohr as much as Sakura did. In a way, maybe Xander had known that as well. Mozu sure as hell wasn’t gonna give up on marrying the man of her dreams just because a royal title scared her; if Xander wanted her as queen, then she would be the best queen she could be.

Mozu clapped her hands on her cheeks to snap any wavering feelings away and puffed out her chest. Though her body still trembled, she sat there firmly, as if she were already on a throne. “Okay,” she said, her voice clear, “What should I do?”

“In terms of?...”

“How do I learn to uh…be a good queen?”

Sakura’s smile lit up. “We can start tutoring,” she said, putting her hands together. “Leo’s really great! He’ll tell you all about Nohrian history and culture.”

She giggled. “Isn’t that how you fell for him?”

Sakura’s face flushed bright pink. “A-ah…” She looked askance and twirled some hair around her finger. “Th-th-there’s m-more to i-it than th-that…”

Mozu snickered. “I ain’t gonna steal your fiancé. After all, I already got one…”

At that, she laughed, her stutter fading. “I still have a lot to learn myself. W-we can study together,”

“Sounds great!” she said. “Gosh, I’m so glad you’re staying close to me, Lady Sakura. I’d be so lost without you,”

“Hehe, I’d be so lost without _you_. Also,”

“Hm?”

“You shouldn’t call me ‘Lady’ anymore. You’re above me, right?”

Mozu sputtered. “S-stop saying that, it feels weird!”

“But it’s true. People are gonna start calling you ‘Lady Mozu’ as well.”

“Ahh, nooo!” Sakura laughed as Mozu dug her face into the pillow again.

This would definitely take some getting used to.

\---

Morning rolled around too soon, but that was probably due the fact that they fell asleep so late. They must have stayed in Windmire past midnight and well into the early hours of the morning. Thanks to the dark curtains, the room stayed dim, but Mozu’s internal clock still awoke her earlier than she would have liked. Her eyes fluttered open, but her body still felt tired and heavy. Trying to move as little as possible, she looked over to her side, seeing Sakura’s back. The princess had inched to the far corner of the bed where she usually slept, arms around a thin pillow, the only sounds she made were her soft breaths.

Mozu rolled on her side, closing her eyes again and bringing her hands further toward her. One eye opened when she felt an object in her hand and looked down to see the diamond ring around her finger. Memories of his proposal flash flooded in her mind and she experienced everything again. The smell of the roses and the breeze, the banging of her heart against her chest, how his eyes looked at her with such yearning. She remembered being so happy, enough for a soft smile to creep on her lips, but she also remembered being stressed.

Queen.

The word haunted her, her heart sinking as she shut her eyes. No, no, she thought. Keep going, keep going. Then she remembered how Sakura said she would help her, how she wasn’t alone, how this is where fate had brought her after all of her hardships. The people of her village would have wanted her to be strong.

Her mother would have wanted her to be strong.

She brought her ring hand closer to her body and relaxed her eyes. She thought of him and how his smiles, though subtle and slight, always warmed her heart. Though he was tall and built like a warrior, he still held and caressed her like she were the most precious jewel. At the end of the day, that is what really mattered. Yes, she would be queen and yes, it would be hard and arduous, but he was at her side. With his affections calming her, she was able to lull back to sleep.

The next time she awoke was when she felt movement next to her. She ignored it at first until a hand found its way onto her shoulder, nudging her. “Mozu,” Sakura whispered. “Mozu?”

“Hmm?” She rolled onto her back and rubbed her eyes to rid of the sand. “Wh-what?”

“I-I think we slept in,” she said, sitting back. “We should get ready?”

Her mind wasn’t all awake yet as Mozu sat up, stretching her arms with a yawn. “Ready for what?”

“…T-to meet the king?”

“Right, the king…the king!” she shouted, putting her hand over her heart. “I-is that now?!”

“No, no!” Sakura waved her hands. “I-I don’t know when. Leo j-just said that’d he would c-come to us wh-when it was time.”

Mozu slipped off the bed. “G-gosh, we better hurry then, huh?” Sakura nodded and followed her outside to take a quick bath. They drew the water and started scrubbing their arms and legs, using oils and soaps of flowery fragrances. As they started on their hair, massaging all out of the oil, Mozu spoke up. “What are we gonna say?” she asked, squeezing soap water out of her hair.

“The truth, I guess,” Sakura said, stepping out of the tub and reaching for a robe. “It’d be pointless to say anything else,”

“Well, yeah,” Mozu said, drying her hair with a towel as she stepped out as well. “But I mean, don’t you gotta be careful and use big words when talking to a king?”

“…Not really? I mean, he’s actually pretty nice,”

“Xander told me he’d be really angry,”

“Really? Oh…” she said, slowly slipping on her kimono and looking at her feet. “I…guess you can’t really blame him, huh? I wonder if Mother would…oh!” Sakura hastened her dressing, her clothes rustling as she did.

“If what?” Mozu asked, quickening herself in dressing too.

“No, no, I was thinking. The letter!” she said. “Mother gave me her blessing in that letter. M-maybe that will help.” Mozu nodded in agreement and followed her out of the bathroom once they were both dressed. During their time in the bath, Sakura’s retainers had switched shifts and now Charlotte stood at the door. Once the girls came into view, her eyes widened for a split second before she turned away, looking straight toward the other side of the hall. “Good morning, Charlotte,” Sakura said, her eyes peering a little at her behavior.

“G-good…uh…it’s the afternoon, M-Milady,”

“It is?” Sakura gasped. “Oh my, we really did sleep in…”

“Y-yeah…” She frowned and scratched her cheek. “I-is everything okay? I heard…shouting,” she said, eyes wandering to Mozu’s. Her heart sank as she quickly looked to Sakura for help. “I thought I heard that…” Now her eyes wandered down and once she spotted what she was looking for, her eyes bulged. Mozu looked down and noticed that her ring was in plain sight and quickly shoved her hand behind her back. “What was—,”

“Ah!” Sakura said, putting her hands in front of her. “I-I can explain all of th-that…later,”

“What’s there to—you have one too!” she shouted, pointing to the ring on Sakura’s finger.

“Bye, Charlotte!” Sakura cried, grasping Mozu’s hand and darting inside the room, slamming the door. “I panicked!” she whispered to her.

“It’s okay,” she said, bringing her away from the door. “We just need to wait until we tell the king. Th-then, we can be…open,”

“Open…like, we can walk around and be together ‘open’?” She could hardly wait. Before she forgot, Sakura folded Mikoto’s letter and slipped in inside her clothes. Now, all they had to do was wait for a while.

A knock came at the door, whipping both of their heads towards it. It had to be them. Sakura and Mozu smoothed out their clothes and hair before Sakura went ahead and opened the door. Neither were sure how to greet their princes, if the occasion called for happy hugs and kisses or not. Judging by the callous, subdued expressions on their faces, such greetings were not in order. Since Sakura opened the door, Leo spoke first. “Good afternoon,”

“G-good afternoon,” she said, looking between the two of them and Charlotte off the side, clearly straining to not look or listen.

“Are you ready?” Leo asked.

Patting the side of her kimono that held the letter, she nodded once and looked to Mozu, stepping aside for her. “We’re ready.”

The walk to the king’s study was quiet, the tension hardening with each second. They walked beside their fiancés, yet, no one made any move or conversation that indicated any sort of relationship. Their eyes still met and were able to convey simple messages of reassurance with their subtle smiles. Yet, such moments were brief and they mostly kept their eyes forward. Mozu felt the oddest one out for whenever they passed by others, the servants would stop and bow. Some innate instinct within her wanted her to do the same, but she resisted, earning odd and dirty looks from the passing servants. If they hated her now, wait until she married Xander…

Finally, they had reached a secluded wing and floor of the castle where the carpet was cleaner, the knights wore more decorative armor, and large paintings of men wearing luscious, regal clothing hung on the walls. Judging from the similarity of faces between them, they all seemed like past kings. She half-wondered what Xander’s portrait would look like and if he would be as handsome as some of them when he aged. Just a brief thought.

At the end of the hall stood two tall doors, guards completely clad in shining armor stood like statues beside the doors, holding halberds in their right hands. Xander took the lead and stepped forward. “Guards.” They clicked their heels together, standing at attention. “I have important business with my father.”

“Yes, Milord,” they both said, taking the curved handles of the doors in hand and opening them. Holding her breath, Mozu followed the rest of them inside.

Wide and tall, the office was curved like a dome, its ceiling painted with an intricate, meticulous mural of the gods among the clouds, watching over the King of Nohr. One could stare at the mural for hours to take in the detail, but they didn’t have hours. Other guards lined along the walls and two old, well-dressed men surrounded the large desk where the king sat. Mozu was taken aback by how his old, withered looks differed so greatly from Xander and Leo. He had small black eyes and a droopy face, a white beard hanging from his jaw. Though, when he looked up at the four of them, a corner of his mouth curled into a half-smile. “Ah,” he said, voice deep. “I’m flattered that you visited, but shouldn’t you two be in fittings right now?”

Xander looked at the other three before straightening his posture, taking a soft breath. “Father,” he said, “we have urgent news,”

“Mhmm,” Garon said, still looking down at the papers on his desk. “What is it? Also, shouldn’t we move the supplies over…” he said, still discussing with the other two men.

“You will want to give us your undivided attention,”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he said, still not making eye contact. As he went back to murmuring business, Xander looked to Leo for help, only gaining a shrug.

“Okay…” He took another deep breath as Mozu held her own. “I am not going to marry Princess Sakura.” Just like that, deafening silence filled the room as all eyes, even the ones from the hidden guards, turned to Xander.

In that silence, Leo added, “I am.”

Garon looked up from his papers, eyes shifting between Leo and Xander, who kept their resolve. He sat back in his chair, looking up at the noblemen who were in equal shock. Suddenly, a grin crept on his face and a wheezing laugh broke the silence. He hunched over, tapping his desk as the four stood there frozen. “Xander!” he shouted, breaking his laugh. “I see you finally developed a sense of humor! Don’t joke about this issue, Boy,” he said, patting his chest.

“I wasn’t joking.”

“N-neither was I,” Leo said.

Mozu watched with horrified eyes as Garon’s grin faded into a frown, his eyes narrowing. He sat up straight, shifting in his chair and tapping his fingers on the desk. Xander took a breath to speak, but Garon held up his hand to silence him. In a grave tone, one unlike his jolly laughs, he ordered, “Clear the room,” with the wave of his hand.

The two advisors bowed with the guards and in an orderly fashion, left the four of them alone with the king. The tapping of his fingers only added to the hardened tension in the room and all four felt like they couldn’t stand still enough. He looked at his sons, then Sakura, then the one he did not recognize before he looked back at Xander and Leo, eyes scowling and bottom lip twitching. Garon slammed his hands on the table as he jumped out of his chair, frightening Sakura and flinching her back. “Have the two of you gone completely INSANE!” he shouted, voice booming through the room. It was enough to even make Xander flinch. “Compromising relations like this? HOSHIDAN relations! Do you WANT our people to starve?!”

Leo spoke up. “I-it’s not what you think, Father—“

“Wh-where the hell is this coming from?!” He skirted around his desk, sulking over to stand before them. “You two…you two would never…” Xander and Leo frowned, keeping their lips tight, making Garon shake his head with a groan. “What’s the deal, you two are switching fiancées?”

“N-no…” Xander said. “I…” He looked down at Mozu, and though she held nothing but fright in her expression, it was enough to grant him courage. “I will marry this woman beside me,” he said to his father, “and there will be no one else.”

Garon’s scowl hardened into a death glare, piercing Mozu’s skin like needles. Moving nothing but his jaw, he spoke Xander’s name with such ill intent that Mozu shivered. “Here. Now.” Xander’s eyes glanced down at her for a second before he put his hands behind his back and made the courageous step forward to face his father. Though Xander was the taller man, his father kept a look on him that, if he were a lesser man, would make him shrink back. Garon’s nostrils flared as he lifted his open palm and delivered a strike to Xander’s cheek so loud that it cracked through the room. Mozu and Sakura gasped in shock as Leo’s eyes widened. Xander let out a grunt, staggering back a little and holding his struck cheek. “There, now do you have a better sense of mind?” Garon said as the crown prince regained his footing and stood tall.

“I won’t falter,” he said, his chest rising and falling. “You can strike me however many times you wish, I stand by my decision.”

“So what, you’ve been lying this entire time?”

“I never lied about anything,”

“Oh? Because I still have your letter, you know.” Xander paled. “The one where you wrote about Sakura so fondly, so endearing? What were your words? ‘Light of Nohr’?”

“That’s…” Xander narrowed his eyes. “That letter is not about Sakura. It’s about—“

“Her?” Garon pointed an accusing finger at Mozu. “So you did lie!”

“I did not--!”

“Father!” Leo called, earning all eyes on him. “You must listen to what we have to say. It will all make sense after.”

Garon’s shoulders dropped as he sneered at Xander, almost like telling him to back off. Still rubbing his cheek, Xander stepped back to the rest of the group. The king looked at the rest of them, crossing his arms. “…I’m waiting.”

Leo turned to Sakura, nodding once. Her eyes widened as she pointed to herself, slowly making eye contact with Garon. She swallowed thickly and took a step forward. “Y-y-you s-s-see…” She looked down at her feet, arms trembling as she hugged herself. “Wh-wh-wh…” Leo took a step forward as well, and though he was right before his father, he took her hand in his. Sakura looked up at him, finding a comforting smile waiting for her, and though she could feel the anger radiating off Garon, she found the courage to speak. “Wh-what happened, is that before w-we got to Nohr…I a-asked my handmaiden, Mozu,” and she looked to her, “to…to…switch places with me.” Garon’s brows lifted. “S-so sh-she pretended to be me a-and I p-pretended to be her…”

“So…” He glanced between the two of them. “Up until when?!”

“L-last week…”

Garon dropped his head into his hand with a groan, rubbing his eyes. “Oh…one month…” he said. “I am gone for one goddamn month!” He lifted his head, his scowl returning. “And this is the BULLSHIT that you bring to me!?” He slammed his fist on the desk behind him again, making Sakura whimper and flinch. “And YOU!” He turned to Mozu, making her want to fall through a hole on the ground right then. “Why isn’t your head on a pike!”

“Because she saved my life.” Now Xander had the room’s attention. “If you recall, she is the one who rescued me from the bear,”

“Is that the flimsy excuse you’re hiding behind?”

“Yes,” Xander said, his voice deeper. “Even if I didn’t have the strong feelings I do now, I would have spared her life. Saving a member of the royal family’s life is not something to be overlooked.”

Garon scoffed, his tone rhetorical. “Is that a rule in Nohr?”

“It is in my Nohr.”

Hell, even _Leo_ lifted his brows in shock, but Xander still held his steeled look of resolve, not letting his father get to him. Garon half-chuckled at his remark, leaning against his desk. “Well, Xander,” he said, “I always knew you were brave, but acting like this?” He crossed his arms. “Well I’ll be…So,” he said, his tone calm but still cautious, “if she’s not dead, then what happened?”

Leo cleared his throat. “We still gave her a trial,” he said, seemingly cautious. “We…I sentenced her…” And now, Leo looked around quickly, knowing he wasn’t the most popular man in the room for his actions. “To a hundred lashes.” Garon’s brows raised again. “H-however, Princess Sakura insisted on receiving a sentence—please let me finish.” Garon shut his mouth. “And she was sentenced to fifty. Mozu, though, volunteered to take the extra sentence if it meant she could stay with her mistress.” All four had the sinking feeling of whether or not any of them would mention that Mozu only received six of those a hundred and fifty. Maybe not now.

Garon shrugged. “Hm,” he said. “A hundred and fifty? Well, a little thing like you could’ve bled to death,” he said, looking at her with an eyebrow raised. “Okay, so let’s get this straight,” he said with a soft sigh. “You,” he said to Sakura, “never went on the trip with Xander,”

“N-no, s-sir…”

“And you,” he said to Xander, “had never met the real Sakura until a week ago?”

“Correct,”

“And you,” he said to Leo, “didn’t notice?”

“What? I noticed!” Leo said. “I’m the one that figured it out!”

“So late?”

“I-I had to be sure…” he said. “Imagine if I was wrong and revealed my doubts so early,”

“Hmm…I suppose.” Garon sighed again, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Princess Sakura,”

“Y-yes?”

“Do you really wish to marry Leo over Xander?” Both princes glanced at her.

She didn’t hesitant. “Absolutely.”

Garon groaned, walking back to his desk. “Dearie, it’s not that easy, I’m afraid,” he said, taking a seat in his chair. “You’ll have to pray that your mother takes this entire mess better than I did and still be willing to renegotiate,”

“A-actually,” Sakura said, “sh-she…already knows.”

“What?” came the princes and king, all staring at her.

“Y-yeah!” She reached into her kimono. “I-I have a letter f-from her,”

“Y-you already told her?” Garon asked.

“N-no. Y-you see, my mother has visions of the future,” she said, taking a cautious step forward. “Sh-she sent me this letter and t-told me not to open it unless I had doubts about my engagement…”

Garon sat back in his chair, rubbing his temples. “Leo,” he said, “did you know of this?”

“O-only of its existence,” he said, “not the contents.” Garon shrugged and gestured for Sakura to bring the letter to him. He sat up straight and slipped on his reading glasses, taking the letter from her.

“Hmm…that does look like her handwriting,” he said. He murmured under his breath as his eyes scanned the page, going back and forth as he read, lips moving. At one point, his eyes glanced up at Sakura and he stopped reading. Clearing his throat, he read aloud. “ _I saw you in one, wearing a Nohrian dress of white and gold. You walked slowly, head cast down. I felt such sadness coming from you and the prince down the aisle that it nearly made me weep. That is, until the second vision._

 _“I saw you in another, wearing a traditional white kimono as you walked down the aisle with a spring in your step, eager to meet your prince. And though I could not believe it, your brother walked you down the aisle, matching your smile.”_ He set the letter down, watching his sons’ reactions.

They both exchanged looks of soft surprise, their eyes wide as they related Mikoto’s letter to themselves. Though Xander stayed callous in his reveal as the desolate prince, Leo seemed to have reveled (as much as he could in this situation) upon his reveal as the hopeful prince. He looked at Sakura from behind, relief passing over his body as his eyes kept a fixed, soft gaze on her. Garon looked back to Sakura. “And you’re sure,” he said, “that you’re right in guessing which prince is which?”

“Y-yes…”

“Are you sure Mikoto had no idea that you switched with your handmaiden?”

She shook her head. “I never told her at all...u-uhm, th-there is m-more…”

Garon rolled his eyes and went back to reading. “ _Though the road may be hard or arduous, and I know not how long it will take you, you can find happiness. You have my blessing.”_ The king closed his eyes, tossing the letter on the desk as he removed his glasses. “Well,” he said, rubbing his eyes. “Her blessing, huh? Damn, we might need one of those fortune tellers in Nohr,” he said, sitting up straight, hands on the arms of his chair. “Sakura, join the others.” She nodded and took a couple of steps back to stand by Leo. The king looked between the two couples, scratching his chin and letting the silence return. His eyes narrowed, pushing dread in their hearts. “Fine.” Relief washed over them, but only for a brief moment. “Hold on! You’re not off the hook,” he said. “Leo, you realize that you’re breaking your vow to the Ice Tribe,”

“Y-yes, Father…”

“You may marry on the condition that you four will go on my behalf and mend relations and this time, you’re on your own.” Wait, four? Did that include Mozu too? She looked up at Xander and Leo, whose pale expressions said it all. “You made this bed, now lie in it, all of you. I won’t bail you out of any trouble.” Garon chuckled. “Kilma’s a tough son of a bitch. I’m sure by the end of the hell he puts you through, you’ll know whether or not it was all worth it.” Geeze, so just about everything was going to be tested then. Mozu hadn’t the time to reflect on his statement for now he looked straight at her. “And…what was your name again?”

“M-Mozu…sir,”

“Come here.” She looked at Xander once, dread entering her once again as he gestured for her to go. The handmaiden held her breath and put her hands in front of her, walking to the desk. “Your hand, please?” She nodded quickly, offering her right. “Your _other_ hand.” Oh. As her face flushed red, she offered her left instead. No doubt, he was fixed on the ring, grasping the tips of her fingers tightly so that she couldn’t move. Garon sighed and let go of her hand. “Alright,” he said, looking at the others. “Everyone except for Xander is dismissed.”

She blinked and turned back to see that Xander was surprised as well. Still, he made no motion to resist and waited as Leo led Sakura to the door. As Mozu walked past him, she gave him a small look of encouragement in the form of her sweet smile, her fingers reaching up and brushing by his cheek. Hopefully, she thought, Garon wouldn’t smack him again. Knowing he couldn’t display anything more, he simply leaned into her touch and watched her go as she gave him one last look before leaving the two of them alone. Once the door shut, he turned back to his father, smile fading into a neutral frown and his eyes narrowing. Surprisingly, Garon seemed…oddly calm.

“Xander,” he said, speaking his name with a tone that matched his demeanor, “take a seat.” He nodded and brought one of the chairs kept on the side, bringing it before the desk and sitting down, waiting for his father to speak.

“I have concerns,”

“I assumed,”

“So answer me a few questions,” he said, leaning forward, “tell me one thing you dislike about her.”

“One thing I dislike?” He paused, wondering if this in itself was some sort of trial. Either way, Xander wouldn’t bend anything and only say the truth, no matter if it made it worse for him. “I think…her bravery is both a blessing and a burden. She took on Princess Sakura’s role knowing the dangerous consequences she could reap. She faced a feral bear with nothing but an arrow and her hands.”

Garon chuckled. “Getting herself into one dangerous situation after another, eh?” He folded his hands. “Would she disagree with you?”

Xander’s eyes narrowed as he tried to recall an example. “I don’t know if ‘disagree’ is the right word. More like…criticize?” His father’s brows lifted. “Again, her foolish bravery caused her to seek me out after the reveal of her identity...after she received her lashes.” He shook his head, closing his eyes. “She could barely _walk_ , and yet, she was adamant about forcing me to express the anger I had repressed.” His eyes opened. “Come to think of it, it’s strange how she noticed that as well,” he said, waiting for his father.

“…Keep going,”

“She had taken a wooden lance from the training ground and tried fighting me—,” Garon laughed louder this time, bringing a half-smile to Xander’s face. “—to get me to talk.”

“And did you?”

“…I did.” He sighed, relaxing his posture.

“Final question,” he said, “what is the extent that she will go for you?” Xander closed his mouth, thinking that he would need to tread carefully, but something in his memory told him otherwise. He was suddenly brought back to last night in the kitchen, when he had asked her nearly the same question.

_There is no extent. If you truly…truly cared. Then in the end, you’re only left with life and death. And…for me, at least, it’s worth all of the troubles._

The warmth of her words comforted him, and he could hear her sweet voice in his ears. Just like she answered him, he said to his father, “there is no extent.” To prove his answer, he sat up straight and dared not to break eye contact. Still, he felt anxiety looming in the pits of his core as Garon took his time to respond. Finally, one corner of his mouth curled up in a smile and a soft chuckle escaped him.

“Well,” he said. “So far, seems like she’s passing the test,”

“Of course that was a test…”

“If you were telling the truth, and I know you were, then you had nothing to fear,” he said. “Xander, the girl is a commoner, isn’t she? There’s danger there.”

He narrowed his eyes, unsure if he appreciated that comment. “How so?”

“Everything I asked you about her were my concerns,” he said. “My fear was that a commoner had fallen for your status rather than yourself.” Xander dropped his scowl, now curious. “I asked if she would ever disagree because, as a queen, it is important to see the flaws of your king and husband. If she was there just to make you happy, then she would worship the ground you walked on and never counsel you.” Garon shrugged. “What do you think?”

Xander sighed. “Her status as queen did weigh in on my decision,” he said. “I think her demeanor will be a good change,”

“Still,” Garon said with a sigh, “it won’t be easy. The common folk will love her for sure, but…you know the Nohrian court.” Xander’s frown deepened. “Especially the ladies. They’ll chew her up and spit her back out,”

“Malicious words cannot cut her skin more than the whip already has.”

Garon laughed. “Haha! It seems as if romance has turned you into quite the poet, Xander!”

“I…” He had no desire to share his secret hobby. “I was only stating the truth.”

 _“_ Yes, yes,” Garon said, waving his hand. “You could be right…but you could also be wrong. Don’t underestimate our nobility.” Noted. “Though, that’s not all I wanted to talk to you about.” He rolled his shoulders back and sighed deeply. “You gave her your mother’s ring,” he said, voice soft.

Xander nodded, finding himself smiling once he recalled her reaction. “That alone should tell you how serious I am,”

“You’ve proved yourself enough,” he said, waving his hand, “and since you’re not going to give this up, allow me to tell you a story.” Xander lifted a brow. “It’s time I told you how I came to marry your mother,”

“Hm?” he asked. “You said it was arranged,”

“Oh it was…” Garon smirked. “Sort of.”

Xander settled back into his seat, curious on the story. He rarely talked to his father about his mother at all, for fear that it would dredge up the terrible memories of her death and the concubine war that followed. He had told himself that maybe it was for the best to know little about her, that way, he wouldn’t miss her as much. Still, if his father wanted to tell him the story, then he had no qualms about it whatsoever.

“When I was a boy, your grandfather, King Siegrund, had decided that I would marry the Duke of Macarath’s youngest daughter, Marianne.” Marianne? That was the first time Xander had heard that name. “She was a little brat, mind you, but she only got that way because they told her that she would be queen at such a young age that it went to her head.” He made a “cuckoo” gesture near his ear. “She was constantly being doted on and favored, leaving her older sister, Katerina, behind.

“But,” Garon continued, “Katya was every bit smarter, compassionate, and ambitious as her sister. She knew that Marianne would be good for nothing, but her father refused to listen to her. So, you know what she did?” Xander slowly shook his head. “I might have been around Leo’s age, I believe, when my two retainers at the time took me to the Cyrkensian opera house for a weekend vacation. We sat there on the boats, you know the ones, and eagerly awaited to see the songstresses.” He chuckled. “And there she was…center stage, wearing a costume and a veil over her face. She danced and sung, staring at no one but me.”

Xander blinked in surprise, unable to imagine the queen of Nohr, his _mother_ , dressed like a dancer and performing on the stage.

Garon sighed, closing his eyes to relive the memory. “She did it on purpose, she wanted to entrance me so badly that I would slip away from my retainers to see her. Well, looking the way she did, let me tell you, not even an effort.” He chuckled. “But you always figured that you got your good looks from her, didn’t you?” Xander just shrugged. “Anyway, where was I…right! After the show, I managed to sneak away and find her waiting for me outside, near the water. I took her hand and said ‘Please tell me your name! Let me see your face!’ Boy…I was gone. _Gone_.” Even Xander had to laugh at that, but his father was a younger man at the time. “Imagine my surprise when it was Katya, all grown up. She gave me a big grin and teased me for being so surprised. That was the first time Katya slipped me away from my retainers and father, and it wouldn’t be last.” He paused, reflecting. “Eventually, I had fallen so hard that I challenged my father about it, telling him I wanted her instead of her sister.” Xander lifted a brow, noticing the parallels. “Hey,” Garon said, snapping his fingers, “I’m _nice_ compared to my father. He would have struck the both of you twice and refused to hear any of it! I let you off easy,”

“Dealing with the Ice Tribe is easy?”

“Compared to Siegrund? Damn right it is,” he said. “But Katya and I were persistent, threatening to elope at one point. Eventually, he noticed how terrible of a person Marianne had become. Though, I’m sure Katya had a part in convincing him that I was never aware about. She was always scheming,”

“Scheming?”

“Oh yeah. She had schemes within schemes within schemes. Ah, she played the political game so well.” He shook his head. “She only wanted what was best for Nohr and would do anything for it, even go as far as to reach out to Hoshido in a time where it was unthinkable,”

“That was…her?” Xander asked.

“Indeed. Nohrian kings were always too proud to grovel to Hoshido for resources, thus the Embargo Act never lifted. And while she was proud, she wasn’t stupid.” He chuckled. “Katya was the one to initially reach out. Sadly, she caught ill and would never see the fruit of her labors…”

Xander frowned and looked at his lap, guilt washing over him. He hadn’t a clue that his mother was the one who spearheaded relations with Hoshido. How devastating that would be, if her son had been the one to destroy them. Either way, Mozu had very large shoes to fill. “Xander,” said his father, causing him to look up. “I know what you’re thinking and believe me when I say that I know severing relations is the last thing you wanted.” He sighed. “I might not be entirely too happy about your decision, but…Katya…” He spoke her name with such softness that he hadn’t heard before. “Katya would have given me an earful for not giving you and her a chance.”

The prince lifted a hand to his heart, as if after so many years, he could feel her spirit within him. Even from the grave, her love and compassion had reached him. She was still looking after him. She was still his mother. He did find himself missing her, but wistfully. With hope. He looked up at his father, his demeanor calm. “Thank you,” he said, “for telling me…why didn’t you tell me before?”

“Come now,” he said. “I feared that you would resent me. Here I was, marrying the woman I loved and expecting you to marry whom I chose for the good of the country.” Xander nodded, fearing what would have happened if he did marry Sakura. “But here I am thinking that all of these ‘arranged marriages’ have degraded into ‘forced suggestions.’” Xander chuckled. “Mozu was her name, right? I’m telling you now, I’m gonna drive her insane, but only because I have high expectations,” he said. “I don’t care if she was born on the streets or with a silver spoon in her mouth.”

Xander smiled, taking that as his cue to stand. “I think you’ll come to like her,” he said. “Despite everything I said, she truly is…endearing.” He felt a light bit of pink fall on his cheeks.

“You sure know how to pick ‘em,” Garon said. “Ugh, I still need to send a letter to Mikoto about this.”

“I’ll leave you be.” He bowed and turned around. “Oh, Father?”

“Hm?”

“I’d like to move her into a room. Issues of safety and whatnot,”

“Sure, sure,” he said, waving his head. “Whatever you need. Oh and Xander?”

“Yes?”

“…I’m… sorry for hitting you,” he said, sighing. “I was…I think my temper blinded me…”

“I understand,” Xander said, unsure if he truly mean it. “I forgive you,”

“Thank you….Godspeed.”

Xander nodded and went on his way to the door, feeling much lighter than he did than when he came in. As he opened the door, he found her sitting nearby, twiddling her thumbs. Mozu looked up and noticed him walk out, immediately jumping to stand up. “H-hi!”

“Hello…” He closed the door behind him. “You waited for me?”

“W-well, what else was I gonna do?” she said. “La… Sakura is with Leo, so I think I’m out of a job,”

“Perhaps.”

“…So, how did it go?”

“I’ll tell you on the way,” he said, extending an arm to her. Her face beamed as she held onto him, grinning up to him. “But first, are you hungry?”

“Starving! I didn’t get to eat yet,” she said, leaning against him. “Would you…want me to cook again?”

He grinned back at her. “Nothing would delight me more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me an hour to upload just because my friends on skype were being dicks and distracting me from uploading the cute fluffiness that are these ships. ANYWAY. As always, thank you very much for all of your comments, kudos, and support. I'll...fix this...when im not SIX SHOTS.


	18. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Got a really long chapter for you today. It's a bit of filler, yes. I wrote it mostly to show some dynamic between the two couples, so, I hope that it's still enjoyable in that sense! The first scene was supposed to attach to the end of the last chapter, but I messed up in my notes so it's here OTL. After the week, I'll probably scoot it back to Chapter 17 so there's more room for this current one.

**Interlude**

 

After lunch, the four regrouped and decided that they should break the news to the sisters. Summoned to one of the larger lounging rooms, Camilla and Elise walked in together and left their escort retainers with the others outside. Once Elise saw the four of them standing together, she scrunched her nose. “Oh no,” she said, “am I in trouble?”

“You’re not in trouble,” Leo said as she and Camilla made their way to them, “we have news.”

“Oh,” she said, looking at Mozu first since she didn’t recognize the pauper girl wearing a dull, old yukata and worn out sandals. Furthermore, why was she standing next to Xander and Sakura? Elise lifted a brow and looked up at Camilla to find out if she was puzzled about the situation as well. Instead, her elder sister simply looked ahead with a patient smile, her expression calm. “Whaaat’s going on?”

Leo and Xander exchanged glances, the latter gesturing for his brother to go first. He reached down to take Sakura’s hand and with a warm smile, he turned to his sisters. “Camilla. Elise. I will be the one marrying Princess Sakura,”

Elise put her hands over her cheeks. “Whaaat?!” Her head whipped to Xander, who was holding the hand of this peasant girl.

“That’s not all,” he said, also smiling, which was unusual of him. “This is Mozu. She and I will be wed as well.”

Camilla clapped her hands, her voice dripping with joy. “Oh, my darlings!” she said, hopping once in place. “How wonderful! So you decided to chase happiness, did you?”

Leo chuckled. “We barely caught it by its tail, but yes, we did.” Sakura leaned a little more against Leo’s arm. Elise’s eyes went wide as she saw Leo’s usually cold eyes fill with warmth as he looked at Sakura, welcoming her touch. With her jaw dropped, she whipped her head to Xander, whose usual frown had softened and the corners of his mouth had curled up to smile.

“W-wait!” she yelled, looking up at Camilla. “You knew?!”

“Hm, let me think…well, I knew that they had feelings for these girls. I didn’t know if they were going to propose or not,”

“But I didn’t know ANY of this!” Elise said, puffing her cheeks out. “How come I’m always the last one to know!”

“Elise,” Camilla said, smile dropping. “This occasion isn’t about you. Our brothers are trying to share their happiness with us.” Just like that, Elise froze. “Go on,”

“I-I’m…sorry,” she said, turning to her brothers with a guilty pout. “I mean, I should be happy too, right? After all!” She leapt forward, taking the one named Mozu’s hands. “I get _two_ new sisters! Mozu, right?”

“Y-yes!” she said, pink coloring her cheeks. Elise hadn’t seen anyone with such plain features and hair, apart from her freckled skin, but she trusted her brother. She had to be some amazing woman to make her big brother fall for her and she couldn’t wait to find out. “N-nice to meet you, L-Lady…” She shook her head. “I-I mean, Elise,”

“Nice to meet you too! Whoa…” she said, bringing Mozu’s ring hand towards her. “Wow Xander, you sure know your jewels,”

“I had some help,” he said, eyes glancing to the ceiling for a moment.

“And lemme see yours!” she said, taking Sakura’s hand and bringing her closer. “Wow…it’s so pretty…”

Camilla cleared her throat. “You told Father, I’m assuming?”

“Oh yes,” Xander said. “He was less than pleased,”

“Is he allowing it?”

“On one condition,” Leo said. “We have to mend relations with the Ice Tribe ourselves. Won’t be easy.”

Camilla shook her head, sighing. “My, sounds like you have a lot on your plate. Oh, but it’s so worth it to have a big, happy family, doesn’t it Elise?” she said, coming closer to them, leaning over. “Neither of you have to worry about a thing while I’m around. I’ll do anything for my family.” She reached over, putting her hands on the top of their heads. “And I mean _anything_ ,”

“Me too!” Elise said, her eyes bright and cheery as they widened. “We’re gonna be the best sisters ever! Ahh, I can’t wait!” She pulled Mozu and Sakura into a tight hug, one that Camilla joined in too. Elise giggled in excitement and though the two Hoshidans felt very squished, they also felt the affection coming from both sisters. Smiles happened on their faces as they embraced the group hug, finding themselves laughing as well.

Then, a knock at the door interrupted the happy moment. “Milords?” came the voice of Laslow. Xander walked around and answered the door.

“Yes?”

“Urgent message from the king.” Leo crossed his arms and walked over as well, the girls separating to face the door. “He has orders that you and Lord Leo go around and tell the servants and nobles that the wedding tomorrow is cancelled. His exact words were ‘And they can explain to everyone why.’”

“Oh…I see,” Xander said, looking at his brother.

“So he’s making us clean up the mess?”

“Yes,” Laslow said, sighing. “We’d be happy to help. I imagine cancelling a royal wedding in a day is…”

“Gods,” Leo groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We better hurry.” The princes glanced back, their smiles fading back to frowns.

“Tomorrow?” Sakura asked. “W-we’re not l-leaving for the Ice Tribe r-right away, right?”

“Tomorrow sounds good,” Leo said. “Think you can be apart from your betrothed for a day, Brother?”

“Like you,” he said, looking to Mozu, “it will be difficult, but the cause is great.”

“Awe, stop!” she said, waving her hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

With soft chuckles, the princes excused themselves from the room and left with their retainers. They had been gone for less than a second before Elise whipped back around to her future in-laws and gushed about the upcoming weddings. As her giggles filled the room, Camilla couldn’t help but face the door, lips tightening.

She understood why her father was forcing them to go to the Ice Tribe, but she had a sinking feeling in her heart that none of them would be prepared for it.

* * *

Sometime later, Elise helped Mozu find her new room that was on the same floor as Sakura’s, but the two still had some distance between them. The suite was near identical to the other, but sported a lighter color scheme with pastel colors as opposed to Nohr’s usual dark violets and blacks. Maybe they needed variety, Mozu thought, but she couldn’t care less if the room was bright yellow or deep red. Gathering her things from the servant quarters wasn’t as quiet as she would have liked. She hid her ring in her trunk before anything else, and as she gathered her clothes and shoes, a passing maid remarked how Mozu never came home last night. Another whispered to the first maid, saying that she had “theories” as to why the little Hoshidan had been absent.

Their words didn’t touch her a bit and were less than a fly passing over her shoulder. As she lifted her trunk with ease, one giggled and asked where she was going. Without giving them eye contact, she strolled passed them saying, “I’m moving to my own room,”

“Oh my!” said one as Mozu kept walking, her voice dripping in mocking cruelty. “Did _Prince Xander_ grant you a room?” Their snide giggles stopped her in her tracks, her hands tightening around the trunk and features scrunching together like she had eaten a rotten apple. She knew that their words intended to rub salt in her nonexistent wounds, but she had the upper hand this time. Now that she thought of it, she would _always_ have the upper hand.

“Actually,” she said, stopping their laughs. “Yes, he did.” She left it at that, able to feel their jaws hit the floor as she walked away. A part of her felt guilty for giving in and showing off like that, but it felt so _good_ to reaffirm that Xander had chosen her. She had spent so much time worrying about her being queen and how to be a good one that she had forgotten the perks. The many, many perks. In her mind, she told herself to slow down; she wasn’t married to Xander yet, meaning any claim to the title of queen was diddlysquat. First, she had to concentrate on making it to crown princess first.

With ease, she brought her things to her new room and took the rest of the day to distribute her belongings. Mozu didn’t have much other than a few yukatas and night shirts, her various shoes ranging from sandals to boots, and a couple of fake flower accessories. She set the ornaments on her night desk, right next to her ring. Her fingers ghosted over her neck as if trying to feel for the absent necklace. The memory of her handing it over to the guard haunted her, even though she knew that there wasn’t anything she could do at the time. Maybe soon, she could investigate in looking for it.

Mozu settled into her new bed once night came, lying in the darkness of her closed canopy, her body turned on her side towards the night desk. With her arms stretched out, the bed felt too big, too empty. Even hugging one of her many pillows didn’t ease that feeling. She had only slept beside him twice and already she missed him. He told her that he dreamt about her waking up beside him, and now she was able to imagine it with clarity. A part of her pointed out that with his gold curls, Xander must have the worst bed head. The image of his unkempt hair made her chuckle to herself, knowing that he would have to see how terribly her bangs and cowlicks stuck in all different angles in the morning. She was excited, not just to sleep and wake with him, but to see the Xander that no one else did.

Come morning, Mozu was all sprawled out, her head tipped back and hair scattered all around the multitude of pillows. Just before her internal clock woke her promptly, the curtains of the canopy parted, the morning light bursting through. Her eyes squinting as she raised an arm over her head, still sensitive from the darkness. She sat up, rubbing her eyes as her vision returned and saw three figures standing before her.

A tall maid with short, maroon hair and a handsome butler with long, tied back blond hair stood on either side of her bed, holding the canopy curtains. In the center, standing with his hands behind his back and a smirk on his face was the king. “Good morning.”

Mozu gasped, his presence awakening her like cold water. She jolted to sit up and wipe her mouth, wondering if it was possible to curtsey or bow in bed. “Y-your, M-Majesty?”

“According to customs, I’m probably not allowed to intrude on a Lady so early, but, you’re not quite a Lady yet, are you?” She pressed her lips into a thin line. “Right, time to get down to business.” He cleared his throat. “Though I know your entire engagement is up in the air until the Ice Tribe business is settled, I don’t wish to waste any time in letting you know my intentions for you,”

“O-Okay…” She pulled some more blanket over her.

“If you are to be a daughter of Nohr, there are certain expectations that must be met. Have you any training in literature, advanced arithmetic, Nohrian history?” She shook her head. “No? How in the world did you pass for a princess…any weapon proficiency?”

“I-I can use a-a bow…”

Garon clicked his tongue in disapproval, eyes narrowing. “Well that won’t do. Might as well add that to the list.” He sighed. “Looks like you have a long road ahead of you, Miss Mozu,”

“I-I…” She nodded. “I-It’ll be alright with me. I-I r-really wanna be a good q-queen,”

“Wanting and doing are two different things. But, if your loyalty and affections for Xander are true and great, then you should have no problem excelling in all fields.” His tone lowered. “And I mean _all_ fields.” His voice alone sent a shiver down her spine as she watched him turn towards the door. “Call upon the necessary tutors,” he said, referring to the butler and maid, “and take good care of Lady Mozu!” She cringed upon hearing the name, fists curling around her blankets.

“Yes, Your Majesty!” They bowed and curtseyed respectively and waited until he left to turn their attentions back to her.

“Pleased to serve you, Lady Mozu,” said the maid. “My name is Mina,”

“My name is Clement. The two of us will wait on you until you depart for the Ice Tribe.”

Mozu waved her hand, her tone polite. “Th-that’s okay. I-I’ve been doin’ just fine by myself.”

Mina frowned. “Oh, but His Majesty told us to care for you,” she said, “and to not miss a detail!”

“That he did,” said Clement. Before Mozu could protest again, Mina rushed over and pulled back some blanket. “Allow me to make your bed, Milady,”

“Y-you don’t gotta c-call me th-that—,” she said as Mina pulled her off, Clement already starting to toss the pillows off.

“If Milady follows me, I can wash her face in the basin. What kind of dress will you want to wear today?”

“D-Dress?”

“We can start by narrowing to a Nohrian, Nestran, or Chevois kind of style,” she said, still tugging her along to the basin.

“I-I don’t gotta clue what either of those a-are!” she said, her voice panicky.

“Worry not! We can spend time at the tailor trying them all on!” Mina sat Mozu on a chair and dipped a towel into her water basin.

“W-wait!” Mozu said, suddenly able to grasp the situation. “P-please, you really don’t need to do all this!” She held her hands up. “I-I’ve been managing just fine o-on my own!”

“That’s hard to believe,” Clement quipped as he fluffed one of his pillows in his hands. “The king said that if you are to be crown princess, you must look like one. That includes your dress, your hair, your makeup—,”

Her face paled upon hearing all of those, her hearing shutting off right after. Oh gods, she feared that they would turn her into one of the painted dolls that she had seen. She would look hideous in a huge puffy dress with her meager hair up in some fancy do, her lips and cheeks stained red. The image left a taste on her tongue that reminded her of month old meat. Surely none of the other royals had to go through this? Where was this treatment when she was pretending to be Sakura? Now something smelled fishy.

She had to get out of here. Her eyes glanced towards the window, thinking she could shimmy out of there easy. Once out, she could perhaps hop her way to another room or balcony and escape that way. Oh, but she couldn’t very well hop around with a nightgown. They were servants, though, so maybe if she just kindly asked…

“E-excuse me?” she said once Mina pulled away the towel.

“Yes, Lady Mozu?”

“I-I was wondering i-if I could change into a yukata first? Y-ya know…so I don’t walk out in a nightgown…”

“Oh, of course!” she said with a grin.

“Allow me,” said Clement as he walked to her dresser, opening it. “Which color of…uh…” He gawked at the rather modest colors of her clothes.

“I g-got it!” Mozu said, standing before Mina could start torturing her face again. “J-Just wait outside! I-I’ll be o-out in a jiffy.” Technically, she wasn’t lying and she would be out soon. Just not out in the hall. Mina and Clement faced each other, shrugging before they bowed and curtseyed to her.

“As you wish,” they said, going towards the door.

Mina turned her head back. “Please don’t hesitate to call me if you need help, Milady,” she said. “We need to be out and about as soon as possible,”

“Got it.” Once the door closed, Mozu sighed in relief, letting her shoulders relax. Good gods, just thinking that she had to go through all of that stressed her out. She had to get out and fast. Pulling out a yukata and tying it as fast as she could, she tied her hair up in a single ponytail and slipped on some shoes. After slipping her ring on her finger, she dashed to the window and pulled it open. Just as one leg swung over the side and her hands grabbed onto the railings, a knocking on the door startled her.

“L-Lady Mozu?” called Mina. She gasped and quickly swung her other leg over, trying to lower herself on the railings. “Are you okay? I’m just going to check in on—.” Mozu froze as the door swung open. Upon seeing her state, Mina’s eyes bulged. “Lady Mozu!” she shrieked, rushing over as Clement followed her.

“S-Sorry!” Mozu called, quickly leaping to the next railing of the window, earning another gasp of horror from the servants. They reached their arms out toward her, begging her to take their hands and come back. As Clement ran to the other room in an attempt to catch her, she looked up and wondered if she could go up a floor. That would slow them down a bit. She clenched her teeth and braced herself, using every force in her body to push herself up and let go. Gasping for air, she grabbed onto the railings of the window of the upper floor, taking deep breaths to comprehend what she just did.

The window below her burst open. “Lady Mozu!” cried Clement as he looked up, then up.

“I’ll be back soon!” she said, lifting herself to the windows railing. She kicked open the window and slipped in, holding her pounding chest. With no time to lose, she picked herself up and dashed to the door, running out. Without thinking where she was going, she dashed to the right, looking in front and behind to make sure no one was after her. Good, no one so far. She just might make it! Turning the corner, she immediately came in contact with a chest right before her eyes, skidding to a halt. “Wh-whoa!”

“Mozu?” She looked up, finding the very confused face of her fiancé.

“X-Xander!?” Well, she had the devil's own luck.

“I was just on my way to come find you. Have you had breakfast?”

“Uhm-uhm…” She whipped her head around, looking back then at front.

“…What’s going on?” he asked, voice dropping.

“I’m hiding!” she said, voice hushed. “The king gave me two servants that just won’t leave me alone!”

“Servants?”

“Uh-huh, a maid and a butler,” she said, moving him so he hid her body between himself and the wall. “They wanna do everything! The maid washed my face and was tellin’ me to choose a dress and that I had to get my hair done,”

“That’s…odd,” he said, looking behind him. “And Father sent them?”

“Mhmm! He came into my room this morning with them.” He blinked in surprise. “You don’t have servants on you like that, do you?”

“Not since I was a boy, no…” he said, voice trailing off.

Suddenly, a shrill cry of Mina’s “Lady Mozu!” rang through the hall, jolting her.

“Ah, no!” she whispered, tugging him away from the direction of the sound. “We gotta go!”

“Alright, alright,” he sighed as a playful smile happened on his lips. “Where are we going?”

“Anywhere,” she said, still tugging him down the hall, but he wouldn’t hurry. “I don’t care, I’m not gonna be like some painted doll wearin’ a big poofy dress!”

“Fine,” he said, leading her down the hall with a brisk pace. “Just follow me.”

* * *

Sakura was having a much less hectic morning. She finished her morning tea, already washed her face, and decided on a silky blue-sky kimono for the day, wearing colors she wasn’t used to. Though she was used to Mozu doing most of these things for her, her time pretending to be a pauper proved fruitful and she did not mind doing these for herself one bit. She actually rather liked having a quiet morning to herself. Once she finished her routine, she wondered if now was the right time to seek out Leo to spend their day together. Though, the poor thing must have been exhausted cancelling the wedding yesterday. It wasn’t until she returned for the night that the servants had received the news. Thankfully, Benny was the retainer that greeted her and though he was surprised, he congratulated her nonetheless. She knew Charlotte would be less easy to talk to about this matter.

She stepped outside and greeted Benny who was on his shift now. Her luck wouldn’t last for long, she knew, but she took the opportunity to start making her way towards Leo’s room. Room, right? Or would he already be in his study by now? Finding him will be much easier when they married, she thought. After all, she would just wake up beside him. And then sleep right beside him at night. She suppressed a small grin that came with thinking about how she would live her new life with him. Now that Mozu was marrying Xander, she didn’t have to be queen anymore. Of course, she was still expected to rule beside Leo, but the burden wasn’t as great. A part of her did pity Mozu, the most inexperienced girl for the job, but maybe her inexperience would manifest into a fresh, outside of the box outlook. At least, that’s what she hoped for.

Once she turned the corner to rise up the stairs, she glanced up and saw someone waiting at the top. As he descended, she recognized Leo’s blond bob of hair and his neat, proper style of clothes. “Leo?” she asked.

“Perfect timing,” he said, hastening his descent, “I was just going to your room,”

“I-I was just going to _your_ room!” Her face brightened with a smile.

“I assure you,” he said, returning her smile, “Once we wed, finding each other won’t be much of a problem.” Sakura held back a laugh, holding her fist to her lips as Leo tilted his head to the side. “What is it?”

“I-it’s funny…I-I was thinking the exact same thing!”

He chuckled, shoulders relaxed as he leaned against the bannister of the stairs. “Seems as if our minds are one and the same,”

“Yeah…” she sighed, lowering her hand, “it sure does.” Sakura cleared her throat and twisted a strand of her hair around her finger. “S-so…uhm…h-how was yesterday?”

He tossed his head back with a groan, putting his hands on the bannister to support himself. His voice was dull and tired. “Exhausting,” he said. “The servants didn’t question much, but Xander and I could see the look of fear in their eyes, thinking that peace had been tossed out the window. Anyway, the nobles…” He rubbed his eyes. “Insisting for us to sit down for tea and cakes to tell them the entire story! ‘What did Father think? Will we be going to war with Hoshido? Does this mean you are now available?’” Guilt felt heavy on her heart and she reached hand forward, resting on his tense shoulder. From her touch, the frustration ebbed away and he lowered his arms with a sigh. When he faced her, she could see his dead eyes lighten with emotion. His hand reached to hers, his smile reassuring. “Don’t you worry. In the end, it was all worth it.”

Strange, he seemed to have read her mind. No doubt he would be good at that in the future. Once their eyes locked, his features softened and she felt light tingles jolt through her skin. Though she focused on all of his features, she lingered on his soft lips. They had only kissed the one time, ending the night with him kissing the top of her head. Now, she felt herself craving another, her pulse racing. “Sakura.” Though he said her name like a whisper, it still startled her. “You’re staring,”

“S-so a-are you…”

Leo took another step down towards her, his body close to hers. “That’s because I’m trying to figure it out,”

“F-figure wh-what?” His fingers brushed by her cheek, pushing back strands of her hair.

“If you’re thinking what I’m thinking…” His eyes glanced down briefly, no doubt looking at her pink, parted lips. She stammered, unsure if any words could answer him. Why couldn’t she just say it aloud? Or, in this case, maybe actually doing would be better.

Sakura closed her eyes and leaned in, her hands resting on his shoulders. Leo’s hands cupped her face as he welcomed her kiss, his smooth lips parting to mold them together. He smelled of spearmint and lavender, and his lips tasted of chamomile. Her heart had stopped pounding and instead pulsed waves of delight through her, its anxiety sated.

They parted away, the warmth from their lips still lingering as Sakura fluttered her eyes open. Leo still held her face, but his brows were lifted and his lips neutral. His eyes glanced down then up before he pulled his hands away too. Sakura put her hands behind her back, taking a soft step back as she felt her cheeks up to her ears flare red. So, they weren’t used to it. Yet. Softly, she said, “th-that was nice…”

“Y-yes…” He scratched the back of his neck. “Almost hard to believe,”

“Hm?”

“I mean that it’s hard to believe that I can even kiss you,” he said, a chuckle escaping him. “A couple of days ago, there I was, pining from afar and resenting my brother,”

“O-oh…” she said, pushing some hair behind her ear. “I-I’m…glad th-that I can k-kiss you instead.”

Now it was Leo’s turn to blush, his eyes glancing away for a split second. “H-heh, I’m sure he is too. I-in the sense that you are not…well…now he has…” He gave up and Sakura giggled behind her hand, taking one of his. “I’m not usually this inarticulate,”

“I know.” She squeezed his hand.

Leo shook his head with a sigh, returning with a grin. He took her hand and led her up one step. “Well, let’s not spend the rest of the day here. Breakfast is being sent to my study for you and I,”

“Oh?” she asked, intrigued as she followed. “What are we going to do?”

“Strategize our plan for the Ice Tribe.” He led her to his side and strolled with her.

“Oh…okay.” Thankfully, he didn’t notice the hesitance in her voice.

Strategize, really? The first time that they can be out with their affections and he chooses to strategize? Then again, Sakura really couldn’t blame him; their engagement rested upon the very fact if he and Xander could reason with the tribe at all. Perhaps this was just his way of showing how serious he was, how he wasn’t going to let anything come between them. Just for now, she would humor him.

They reached his study, his retainer Odin standing guard. He informed them that breakfast had already arrived and something about it being more delicious than victory. Leo simply ignored him and brought Sakura inside, sitting her opposite of him. Two plates of eggs and hash browns with a muffin on the side sat at the desk, waiting with utensils. “Go ahead,” Leo said, bringing his cup of tea closer to him. “Do try to be neat,”

“O-of course.” She took a bite of the potatoes and watched as Leo pulled out many sheets of paper, some blank but most with writing. He leaned into his fork to take a big bite of eggs and potatoes as he shuffled around the papers, separating them into piles. Sakura lifted a brow, watching him and eating her plate slowly. Leo took another bite of his muffin and finished organizing.

“Right,” he said, after swallowing. “Earlier, you had mentioned once about sharing crops with the tribe, yes?”

“Mhm!” She hastened her chewing so she could swallow and talk. “What exactly are you getting from Hoshido?”

Leo took one of the top papers and handed it to her, the entire parchment loaded with text and numbers. Her eyes scanned the page, now realizing that it was a list of all Hoshidan exports that they had agreed upon, including their bimonthly amount. He finished another bite before speaking. “For now, we had agreed on the bare minimum,” he said, “but our amounts will increase with continued peace and support for Hoshido,”

“I see,” she said, trying to figure out the numbers in her head. “Wh-what are you giving Hoshido, again?”

“Workers,” he said. “Once the treaty is verified, many of our lower-class citizens will move to Hoshido and assist with the extra labor for the agriculture,” he said, cutting a slice of muffin. “In addition, if any foreign power attacks Hoshido, we will send any troops at their request,”

“Foreign power?” Sakura asked, chuckling. “From where?”

“Strange things happen in this world,” he said with a laugh. “Perhaps not in this lifetime, but, it still puts good faith between two kingdoms.”

“I see.” She ate and read, her eyes moving back and forth. Rice, beans, fish…just about everything Hoshido had that Nohr didn’t was on this list. Towards the bottom, she read that Nohr would also send Hoshido some of its ore, but the amount didn’t seem significant enough. “Does the Ice Tribe need ore?”

“Perhaps some,” Leo said, jotting it down. “Mostly, it is a tribe of mages, meaning that they would mainly need ores for tomes,”

“Tomes? Oh…” she said. “That’s how Nohrians use magic, right?”

Leo smiled and nodded. “Yes. What about Hoshido?”

“Mmm…” She put a finger over her lips. “Well, our Diviners and Onmyojis use scrolls,” she said. “They conjure spirits to fight for them,”

“Spirits?”

“Yes! Like Rabbit Spirits or Tiger Spirits.”

Leo chuckled, picking at his eggs. “I think I’d rather stick to plain lightning and fire for myself.” At that comment, Sakura tilted her head.

“Oh, right…I almost forgot that you use magic, right?”

“It is my primary choice of weapon, yes. I have to put Brynhildr to good use,”

“Bryn…hildr?”

“Hm? Oh, yes,” he said, smiling. “My personal tome that was passed down to me in the same way Siegfried was handed down to Xander,”

“Ohhh!” she said with a smile. “Kinda like my two brothers, Ryoma and Takumi. They inherited a katana and yumi called the Raijinto and the Fujin Yumi,”

“Yes, I’ve heard. As you might have guessed, your brothers aren’t the only ones wielding divine weapons,” he said, shuffling some papers around in silence before he frowned. Leo turned to her with narrowed eyes. “…Is this boring?”

“Hm?” She almost choked on her potatoes.

“S-sorry, I know that was sudden, but…” He scratched his head. “Considering how easy we got off track…”

Sakura set her fork down, waving her hand. “W-well…u-uhm…i-it has to b-be d-done…”

“So this is boring…” He set the papers down. “I just…I thought that this would show you that I-I didn’t want anything to change.” She frowned. “I-In in the sense that just conversing and problem solving with you like we used to makes me happy. The last thing I wanted was for us to become a couple with empty depths,”

“…I see,” she said, her calmness returning. “I don’t think that we will…”

“W-we shouldn’t. You…I know you’re capable of so much.” He looked down at his plate, running a hand through his hair. “It would be so wrong to erase that…” She leaned forward, taking his hand away before he ripped his own hair out. Sakura gave him a reassuring smile, one that made him sigh out his anxiety. She really did appreciate how he wanted them to be a team, first and foremost. He trusted her before with such matters and worked with her through the old books of Nohrian history. Erasing that part of their relationship would be wrong, as he said.

“S-Still…” she said, speaking slowly so she could find the right words. “I-It doesn’t mean w-we can’t still be together.” His expression perked up. “I-I s-still want to b-be with you…and hug and k-kiss you.” She shrunk back in her chair a bit. “W-we just have t-to find a…” What was the word?

“Balance.” There it was. She sat up more and nodded. Leo sighed and shook his head again, sitting back. “What are we doing here?” he asked with a chuckle.

“W-well, I know you’re w-worried about the tribe,” she said, taking her hand back. “B-but I know that we’ll figure it out,”

“You’re right,” he said, standing up. “And after yesterday, I could use an off-day,”

“O-okay!” she said, standing too. “What are we gonna do?”

Leo stroked his chin, humming under his breath to figure something out. He snapped his fingers. “Meet me on the training grounds,”

“Training grounds?”

“Just trust me…I need to grab something,” he said, heading for the door and holding it open for her. “I think you’ll like it.”

* * *

After making a quick stop to the kitchen to swipe some sweetbreads, Mozu and Xander successfully evaded many of the castle servants, hiding in rooms or quickly finding alternate ways. “Ya know,” Mozu said after finishing her sweetbread, “I never expected that you could be all sneaky,”

“I’m usually not,” he said, looking out for any servants before leading her down the hall. “But when the occasion calls for it…”

They made their way through the back doors of the castle until reaching the courtyard. “Follow me,” he said, venturing away from the flower bushes and walkways towards the open glades. This part of the yard was for the most part unkempt with only a few stone walkways meant for servants to run back and forth on. Towards the edge, the grass sloped with low hanging trees all around. “Here we are,”

“Wow,” she sighed, patting down her clothes before sitting down under the tree’s shade. “This’ll be perfect!”

“You’re not the only one that runs from servants on occasion,” he said, sitting beside her. “They haven’t found this hiding spot yet,”

“Good,” she said, looking up at the tree’s leaves, dangling right above her like a mobile. “Thanks for bringing me out here,”

“Think nothing of it, I needed a break after yesterday as well,” he said, lying down on his back with his hands behind his head, “though, don’t believe that you can run forever.”

Mozu looked down at him with a pout, to which he only shrugged in response. “I know that. But, it’s like you said: you don’t have any servants hogging you down to dress you and everything. So why is your father?...”

Xander sighed and cast his gaze up to the leaves, faintly swaying. “We had servants do those things when we were children,” he said. “They would wake us at dawn and dress us, making sure we were clean all over and that nothing was out of place. Father told us that this was to teach us habit and discipline, that we were to follow this routine each and every day,”

“I already wake up at dawn,” she said, crossing her arms,

“He might not know that,” he said, eyes glancing to hers. “What about the rest of your routine?”

“Well…I guess I wash my face sometimes. Not every day, though. And what’s wrong with wearing this?” she asked, tugging on some of the yukata’s fabric.

“Nothing,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips. “Though, I can’t say the same for my father. It could be he’s trying to prepare you for the rare occasions that you must dress accordingly,”

“Okay, why doesn’t he just say that?”

“Because,” he chuckled, “he’s the king and doesn’t expect anyone to question him.” Suddenly her eyes widened as her heart dropped to the pit of her chest.

“Oh, oh gods…d-does that m-mean I d…disobeyed the king?”

He laughed softly. “Running from your servants isn’t a capital offense,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Actually, he might find it amusing,”

“But won’t he get mad?” she asked, taking his hand.

“A little, perhaps.” With a groan, she closed her eyes and lied down, resting her chest atop his. “I understand that this all new to you and can seem strange,” he said, resting a hand on her back, “but it is temporary. After all, I highly doubt he’ll send them once you and I share a room.”

Her heart jumped at the statement, but she repressed showing it on her face. “You’re right…but it don’t feel right bein’ waited on,” she said with a sigh, “I was out on the fields workin’ once I could lift a shovel,”

“And that’s why I know you work hard enough to not rely on the services of others,” he said, eyes fixated on hers. “But for now, you’ll have to learn to compromise with them and it’s a skill you should pick up soon.”

She nodded once, dropping her cheek on his chest, trying to listen for his heartbeat as her voice mumbled. “Mmm…I guess you’re right about that…” As a queen, she would have to learn all about compromising and negotiating. If she couldn’t even handle two servants under her, then how was she supposed to handle an entire kingdom? Maybe that’s what Garon intended all along. This is the first test then, isn’t it, to find the middle between what she wanted and what her future father-in-law wanted.

Such thoughts of the future weighed heavily on her mind, as they have been since she realized that she would be queen. In the end, it was all worth it for moments like these with her body lying on his, her eyes closed as she did nothing but breathe in the fresh air from the trees and feel the light breeze on her face and back. With his chest rising up and down and hand on her back, his presence calmed all of her nerves and brought her the first moment of peace for the day. If only it could last.

When he spoke, she felt the soft vibrations of his voice on his chest. “Are you sleeping?”

“Hm? No.” With that, she put her hands on either side of him and sat up. “Just relaxing. Why? Was I crushin’ you?”

“Not at all. You’re as light as a feather,” he said, also sitting up. “I was wondering if I could show you something,”

“Oh?” she asked, rolling off of him. “Watcha got?”

Xander reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a folded paper, handing it to her. “Another poem. Please tell me if you tire of them,”

“No way!” she said, a giddy grin on her lips as she swiped it, unfolding it quickly. “Looks fresh,”

“I penned it this morning when the inspiration suddenly came,”

“Oooh,” she said, looking at him first. “So you were ‘inspired’? Lesse here…”

_City of Windmire, please tell me_

_Why is your top surface so dim_

_People working in a lone sea_

_Their chances of rising so slim_

_Then the underground fills with glee_

_The people dancing on a whim_

_I hope one day to see it above_

_Everyone rejoicing with love_

Like all of the other writings, his intentions and tone had the usual charm that she loved. Something always felt off about his execution and now felt no different. However, he seemed to have reach a point where someone with a higher understanding of poetry was needed to correct him. She couldn’t place exactly where the faults were, only that he seemed a little off. But still, she could connect his voice to his words, especially the last two lines. “I do too,”

“Hm?”

“I wanna see the upper streets as busy as we saw the underground,” she said, looking back at him. “It’s how a capital city should be, shouldn’t it?”

“Yes, you’re right.” He inched a little closer. “Unfortunately, crime is rampant throughout the city, especially in the lower reaches. Another reason to use the underground is to escape the danger. Now, only those not in the know venture the streets at night,”

“I see,” she said, sighing. She knew about the crime rate in Nohr and how it even extended to Nohrian bandits invading places like her village in Hoshido. “So, about the poem. Can I be honest?”

“I want nothing but the truth,”

“I think it’s your best yet.”

He blinked in surprise, not expecting praise. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, it’s got a nice message,” she said, looking it over again. “And it makes sense for the most part. Though, I feel like some of these words are outta place. But, ya know, I’m the last person you should be askin’,”

“On the contrary, you’re the first. Perhaps the only one,”

“Huh?” she asked, tilting her head to the side, “You really don’t want anyone else seein’ this?”

Xander sighed and looked askance. “No. Unlike everything else, I’m not expected to succeed in this.” Mozu lowered her arms, focusing only on his words. “If I show it to anyone else, I fear that their standards would be higher than any kind of skill I’m willing to work towards,”

“I get it,” she said with a smile, “you just wanna have fun with it,”

“Of sorts,” he said, smile returning, “Besides, if I fail miserably, at least it’s around you.” She giggled behind her lips, folding the poem to give it back to him.

“Oh, yeah. Just keep remindin’ me that the crown prince of Nohr is a big ol’ softie,” she said, poking his chest. “And he’s kinda cute once he stops frowning.” She put her finger over his smirk as he lifted a brow. Xander kissed her finger and pulled her hand away.

“I smile around you,” he said, bringing her closer. “Or is that not enough?”

“Hmm…” She inched closer, another hand reaching his shoulder. “Nah, it’s enough. If you start smilin’ around the other ladies, they might fall for you too,”

“There’s no danger there,” he said, voice low, “I only have eyes for one.”

“Th-there you go with that stuff again!” Her cheeks flushed red as her heart raced.

“What stuff? The truth—?”

“Yeah, yeah, the _truuuth_ ,” she mocked, though he retained his grin.

“If you don’t like it, I can stop,”

“I-I didn’t say s-stop! I’m just sayin’ it’s embarrassing,”

“How so?” He reached his fingers to her cheek. “We’re alone. I certainly would never say the very private things around others,”

“Mmm…I’m just not used to it,” she sighed. “And like I said, I still gotta find a way to embarrass you,”

“And how’s that coming along?”

Mozu pouted as he chuckled, putting her arms around his shoulders. Now, she was on equal ground with him and wouldn’t have any of the “can’t reach” nonsense. She captured his lips into a surprise kiss, holding him there for a second before she pulled away, trying to see his reaction in time. Indeed, his eyes were still wide and she could make out the faint color of pink on his cheeks. “Aha! Now who’s the—.” His hand pressed against the back of her head and pulled her back, his kiss cutting her off.

Damn him. Damn him and how easily he could turn her into a puddle using only his lips, whether they were whispering words or kissing her with ferventness.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she gave into his touch, letting him press her chest against his. He lifted her, rolling so she lied on her back against the grass, his fingers running through her hair. Once they parted briefly for air, she felt heat rush through her skin like she hadn’t before, her heart pounding against her chest as it pulsed numbing delight through her veins.

How long had they been in an embrace? She found herself resting on top of him as he lied on his back, arms around her waist. He taught her such simple movements with his lips, tugging at hers ever so slightly and enticing her to whispery gasps. To her, she didn’t know that such kisses could exist and now she had a burning curiosity to see what else he knew.

“Lady Mozu? Lady Mozu!”

With a bigger gasp, she sat up, panic flushing down her spine as she whipped her head in both directions. “Oh gods, oh gods!” Xander took his time sitting up, his eyes disoriented with a certain breathiness to his lowered voice. “W-we gotta go!”

“S-slow down…” He lifted a brow and reached into her hair, taking out a twig.

“Oh my gods, if they see us…like this!” She swiped some blades of grass that had stuck between his curls. Another cry of her name hastened her until she rolled off to stand.

Xander was still finding grass in the back of his hair when he stood and spoke. “Where to now?”

“Anywhere,” she said, unable to stay in one place as she looked out for any sign of the servants. “I don’t care!”

He sighed. “As you wish.” He took her hand and ducked underneath the low hanging trees to evade the voices. Quite easily, they were able to slip away.

* * *

 

“Here we are,” Leo said. Sakura turned around to see him approaching, holding two books in his hand. He handed her the bottom one, its cover colored in a deep red and gold. “That’s for you,”

“Hm?” She inspected its front then back before she turned to a random page. Her eyes bulged at the book’s letters which all seemed like squiggly gibberish to her. The book also had illustrations that ranged from fitting in a corner to stretching through two pages. “What…is this?”

“It’s a tome,” he said, “Have you ever attempted using magic?”

“Y-yes. O-once or twice,” she said, closing the tome and looking to him. “Sh-Shrine maidens s-sometimes become Onmyojis so I-I was able to try. J-just the basics,”

“I assure you that the Fire Tome is a basic, beginner’s tome,” he said, holding the purple and black tome under his arm. “Since we first started studying, I always wondered if magic suited you better than using a bow,”

“Y-you did?” she asked, holding the tome against her chest. “I-I dunno…” Looking down at the tome, she couldn’t deny her curiosity on the subject either. Even when she was summoning Rat Spirits, she felt a little more of a connection with using scrolls rather than yumis. But, a Priestess had to learn how to use yumis, so, she chose that path without hesitating, learning the art from her brother. Obviously now, her training had come to a halt without much hope of restarting it since she moved to Nohr. However, this was magic, an art few get to even try, much less excel at. She had a feeling that learning to dabble in the tomes every now and then couldn’t hurt and might save her from future boredom. Of course, Sakura would never betray her yumi training; it was too important and too useful to pass up on. She lifted her head with a warm smile and nodded once. “O-okay. Let’s try,”

“Good. I also wanted to introduce you,”

“I-Introduce me?” Sakura watched as he presented his purple tome, carved with black patterns on its front and back.

“This is Brynhildr,”

“Oh! This is a divine weapon?” To her, it didn’t look too much like one. The Raijinto always had crackles of electricity running up and down through its blade, the Fujin Yumi ever glowing with the soft blue aura from its enchanted bowstring. Leo could see the skepticism in her eyes and he pulled the tome away.

“Let me show you.” He took a step back and faced the open training ground, motioning for her to get behind him. In his left hand, he cradled the book and with a wave from his right, it flung open and turned to a center page. At that moment, Sakura felt the air around her drop in temperature, the wind picking up under them. Call her crazy, but she could hear the air around them charging with energy. Leo waved his right hand over the tome and Brynhildr glowed with a dark aura. In his palm, magic gathered in the form of an orb and once he presented it in front of him, the rocks all around them lifted, seeping towards the orb like moths to a flame. A gasp left her throat as he directed the spell at the ground in front of him, all energy flowing to that point. Where he aimed, a full tree suddenly sprouted from the ground, making her flinch back. It glowed with a golden light, its branches ensnaring and spreading for a moment before it burst into small lights, fading as quickly as it appeared. The charged energy around them died down to a quiet breeze as Leo shut the book, turning himself around with a faint smirk on his lips. No doubt, he was savoring her completely dumbfounded expression. “How was that?”

“…D-definitely…a divine weapon…”

“Had you any doubts?”

“W-well n-no!” She waved her hand. “I-I just thought that i-it really d-doesn’t look like one,”

“You’re right, and that’s what I love about Brynhildr.” He stroked its spine, then lined his finger along the pages. “The fact that it looks like an ordinary tome suits me and how I strategize,”

“Hm?” she asked, genuinely curious, “how so?”

“Well, let’s compare. Though he might not know it, Xander’s best tool isn’t Siegfried, but rather, his own intimidation.” Sakura giggled behind her lips. “Imagine you’re a foot soldier met with a tall man on a dark horse, holding a sword about your height. Simply lifting it over his head outta send you running, but even if you stayed, your resolve is probably weakened,”

“Goodness!” she laughed. “What about you?”

“Me, I prefer allowing my enemies to see me as a common mage with a common tome,”

“Oh…s-so they…?”

“Drop their guards. Obviously I do not possess the strength and vigor that my older siblings have, and thus, I have nothing to flaunt in that sense. But, little do they know that my tome is a divine weapon that I, and only I, can master. You’d be surprised how much your disposition in battle matters,”

“Hmm…” She glanced aside. “I guess…I-I’d be so useless. I don’t have any p-power to hide or show,”

“That’s not true.” He put a hand on her cheek, turning her so she’d look into his eyes. “You doubt yourself too much. Healing our soldiers out in the field is a far too important job to pass up on and...” He paused. “If I knew that you were at my side, watching over me, then I’d swear that I would let nothing touch you.” Sakura parted her lips, her eyes caught within his endearing gaze that made her believe every word he said.

“Let’s hope that a day like that never comes.” She rested her hand around his wrist, leaning into the warmth of his hand.

“You’re right.” He inched forward, placing a chaste kiss on her head. “Let’s hope…” His touch faded from her as he pulled away, clearing his throat. Seeing the bit of pink on his face made her smile as she watched him straighten his shirt. She was still new at receiving affection, but he was still new at giving it. “A-anyway, where were we?” Sakura held up the tome still in her hands. “Ah, right! Now, what you’ll want to do is copy me and place the tome in your non-dominant hand. Stand up straight and take a deep breath, feel your energy flow through your body.” She did as he said and closed her eyes once she inhaled the air. As she did, she suddenly felt his chest near her back, one arm curled around her and a hand pressing against her stomach. “From your diaphragm, remember.”

“R-right…” Her heart raced from his sudden proximity, his other hand holding the one that held the tome. This wasn’t some convoluted plan to be close to her, was it? Judging from the tone of his voice and the lack of sensuality in it, his intentions were genuine, if not a little embarrassing.

“Another.” She took another deep breath, trying to feel the energy flow through her. “Is it working?”

“U-uhm…” She turned her head, now noticing just how close they were. “I-it’s kinda hard,” she whispered. “S-since y-you’re so…”

Leo’s eyes bulged and he took a step back. “F-forgive me! I-I wasn’t trying to…to…”

She couldn’t help but laugh, watching him grow all flustered like that. Seeing him break away from his usual haughty demeanor was something that she would always love to see, especially since it happened all of the time around her. “I-It’s okay…” she said, her head casting down so he wouldn’t see the sheepish grin on her face. “C-Can you sh-show me again?”

After a pause, Leo stammered again. “C-certainly, i-if you don’t mind…” She lifted her head once she heard him take a step forward. A little slower this time, he put his hands on her shoulders first. “Relax these. Press your chest out.” He spoke softly, almost like a whisper but with more intrigue. “Hold your tome close,” he said, wrapping a hand around hers and bringing her arm closer. Sakura knew that her face was almost as bright as her hair and perhaps his silky voice was doing nothing but distracting her from learning. He took her other hand, pressing his thumb against her palm so her fingers extended out. “This time, close your eyes.” Sounding like that, it was hard to resist.

Once she saw nothing but the darkness, she took another deep breath. Sakura felt Leo’s warm touch all over, from her back, to her shoulders, to her hands. She heard his soft breathing near her ear, his voice breaking the silence. “Find it in yourself to wield the tome. Open it.” He led her hand right over the tome’s cover. Will it, she thought. Will it like the spirit.

Spreading her fingers, the tome flung open, turning to a page in its center. She opened her eyes once she felt a surge of heat flow through her body. Something told her that it was the potential fire within the tome. “Good for you,” Leo said. “Do you feel it within you?”

“Y-yes…” Now her hand twitched, longing to feel magic surge through her again.

“Will the tome to grant you the spell.” She closed her eyes again, waving her hand over its pages, feeling its magic. A thrilling rush pulsed through her as the warm energy pooled in her palm. The fire felt like no other and though its heat was truly great, it did not burn or scald her hand. Instead, it felt gentle, like cuddling around a fireplace in the colder months. Or maybe, she only felt this way because Leo was holding her the way he did. “Now…strike.”

Sakura directed the spell to the same spot as Leo had, watching the fire dart from her palm to the ground with a flare. Once it reached the dirt, it suddenly burst, the heat emanating in all directions. In a flash of red, it disappeared, its spark leaving her body. She lowered her arm as the magic ebbed away, staring at the scorched dirt that the spell left behind. Out of impulse, she took a gasping breath, losing feeling in her knees as she leaned back.

Leo chuckled as he supported her weight, his voice returning to normal volume. “Are you alright?”

“Mhmm…” She grinned, glancing at the tome then back to him. “It’s b-been a while s-since I’ve used magic,”

“You did very well,” he said, returning her expression with a soft smile. “With practice, you’ll become quite adept.”

Sakura’s eyes narrowed as she stood on her own two feet, turning her body so she faced him. “I…suppose…”

Leo frowned. “Do…do you not want to…?”

“I-I did like it,” she said. “A-and I’ll m-maybe continue, but…” No, it didn’t feel right to give up bow training all together. “I have to stick with using a bow or yumi. It’s…” She glanced aside, suddenly remembering the first time she hit the target; Takumi had given her the tightest hug and a tough pat on her back. “It’s one of the few things still tying me to Hoshido.”

For a second, Leo’s eyes narrowed and flickered in disappointment, his frown thinning out. He blinked slowly, his features softening once he reopened his eyes. “Of course,” he said with a smile. “If only there was—.” His eyes widened for a second and she caught the glint in his iris. He put his fist under his chin, humming under his breath.

“If only…?”

Leo smirked. “Nothing. There’s no point right now,”

“Wha? You gotta tell me now!”

“Well, maybe I want it to be a surprise.” Though her mouth opened to protest, Sakura closed it soon after. So far, his surprises hadn’t let her down, even his dull attempt to work on the Ice Tribe. Besides, she was supposed to trust him. Whether or not that trust was unconditional was still up for debate. “So, what shall we do?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Of course. We can continue training or…” He smirked. “I’m guessing you’d rather do ‘or,’”

“Depends on what ‘or’ is,”

Leo rolled his shoulders back and rubbed the back of his neck. “I…would like strolling about, perhaps. Have you seen the courtyard?”

“No, well, we just rushed through it that one night,” she said. “I…I wouldn’t mind walking through it slower this time…” Leo nodded, giving her his arm to take.

“Now that I think of it,” he said, starting to walk, “Brynhildr also has some nice tricks within the garden…”

* * *

“Right in here,” he said, opening the door to a room she hadn’t been inside before. At first, Mozu thought that it would be a more private lounge room since it was so far away from any other room, but she wasn’t sure what this was. The room itself was white and spacious, with high ceilings and spread out walls with racks. On the racks were cases of shapes she had not seen before. The most interesting piece, however, was the large structure in the center. It was as black as night, and at first seemed like a table with its top removed and hanging at an angle. Before it was a bench and as she walked closer to it, she noticed the sticks of black and white on the edge of the structure, facing the bench.

“What in the world…?” Xander sat at the bench and gestured for her to sit next to him. With a puzzled look, she lifted a brow and sat next to him.

“This…” He lowered his hand onto the white sticks, fingers dancing and pressing along to create a quick melody. She nearly jumped, not expecting such a pretty sound to emerge. “…is a piano.”

“Oh!” she gasped. “I remember now. Wow, it’s a lot bigger than I thought,”

“Indeed.” Xander stretched out his fingers, cracking his knuckles. “Do you know anything about music?”

“Only that I can’t sing worth a darn. So, you just press these sticks?”

“Keys,”

“Keys, got it.” She looked to him as her finger found a white key in front of her, waiting for him to nod. She pressed it and a quick note sounded. “Oooh…” She played the same note, but held her finger longer to lengthen its sound. “Hey, this is kinda fun,”

Xander chuckled, slipping his hand over hers. “Try this.” He guided her right hand over a group of keys, pressing her fingers onto them. Her index pressed one key before he moved her hand over and had her press two keys at once, twice. He repeated the motion until she played the three-note chord about three times. “Think you can keep that rhythm?”

“Pssh.” Mozu tried it out herself, playing the chord over and over. She didn’t keep the right beat as he instructed, but then again, like she knew how to keep rhythm. Xander shrugged and sat up straight, his head nodding ever so slightly. At the beginning of her chord, he chimed in with another melody. She lost a beat in the measure just trying to watch his fingers dance and create music far more complex than her one-two-three. Whenever she was off rhythm with him, she saw his eyes narrow for a split second and tried her best to jump back into the beat. Oh gods, she was really terrible at this. Their quick song finished, and he held his notes for a long time, making her do the same with hers. “Was that terrible?”

“It was…” She pouted. “Don’t blame yourself, you’ve never even seen one before now,”

“Hmph,” she said, crossing her arms. “’Scuse me for not bein’ trained in any kind of music.” Garon’s words from earlier echoed in her head.

“Well, would you like to learn?” he asked.

“Hm? Would you teach me?”

“I’d be a terrible tutor,” he said with a chuckle.

“Then nah. I’d rather just listen,”

“Suit yourself. So,” he said with a little more confidence in his voice, “tell me what kind of song you wish to hear,”

“Hmm…” Now to put him to the test. “Play something hard. A toughie! Really gotta impress me,”

Xander chuckled, his lips smirking. He took a moment, perhaps to recollect a song. “As you wish.”

Mozu crossed her arms and watched both of his hands spread to different sections of the piano as the room quieted for a split moment. Then, in a flurry of motion, Xander started pressing keys and flittering his hands down the piano, working so fast that his hands looked like blurs. Her eyes bulged as all ten of his fingers reached and played different notes so fast that she wondered how he knew which ones were the right ones. He would waltz down a flurry of notes then bring his hand back to do it again with precision and accuracy. His song sounded like utter madness that if she had not known that it was an actual composition, she would have guessed someone had an illness of the mind and was banging the keys. Even if one hand played a steady part, the other was always moving up and down the piano. Why someone would compose a song like this seemed like unnecessary punishment, but it most likely was with the way Xander talked about his music tutor from hell. Maybe that was the only reason he could play so precisely, with nothing but such deep concentration. As she noticed how fixed his eyes were, she realized a certain beauty within them.

To anyone else, he would have looked blank, but it wasn’t the case for her. She recognized those fixated eyes and slight smile anywhere. Though he might have hated his tutor, there was no way he hated the music, not when he concentrated with such an endearing look. As quickly as he started, the song’s mania came to a halt with a long group of notes, the sounds fading with time. He looked to her, saying, “was that difficult enough?”

Gawking at him, it took Mozu a good half-minute before she replied with a flat, “how,”

Xander chuckled. “How what?”

Her voice returned to varying inflection. “H-how do you do that? Like, how do you know which ones to press?”

“Sheet music,” he said, “papers with the notes,”

“Just…written out?”

“No. Watch.” She crossed her arms again and studied his hand. “In music, we have a scale going from A to G. So A starts here,” and he played a note, “and G is here,”

“And the rest of the keys?”

“They’re all A through G as well, but in different octaves.” Mozu scrunched her brows, unsure if she followed. “An octave is a whole A through G set of notes,”

“So, it goes A, B, C until G?” Xander nodded. “Okay, what’s this?” She pressed a random note in front of her.

“That’s a C,”

“And what about these?” she asked, pressing a black key. “Are these A through G?”

“Those are sharps and flats. So you just played a C sharp or D flat.” Mozu turned her head a slow pace, her eyes narrowed and frown deep, to which Xander replied with a deep sigh.

“Okay, lemme just ignore that,” she said, shaking her head. “You memorized every single note on here?”

“Not…exactly,” he said with a shrug. “But, I can name any note with my eyes closed.” Now her frown curled into a pout, her brows furrowing. She raised a hand to him, covering his eyes as he laughed. Mozu played a note. “F.” Another. “A.” Another. “A…sharp,”

“You’re nuts,” she said, pulling her hand away. “Or, your tutor was actually some banshee that tortured you,”

“A bit of both,” he said, leaning a little closer. “Am I angering you?”

“A little,” she said, sitting up straight. Of course, he really wasn’t angering her at all; she loved it whenever he shared something with her. Besides, his music skill differed greatly with his writing hobby. He was obviously more adept and had more knowledge on music than he had with poetic words, not to mention having a lot more confidence. She could watch him play soft melodies for hours, fascinated by his talent. An idea struck her head, and she sat up, nudging his shoulder. “Hey, have you ever written anything?”

“Hm? Like a piece or composition? No, why?”

“You should try!” She nodded eagerly. “You already know so much about it, and I can see it in your face that you love music a lot.” Xander's eyes widened with a blink, his features softening.

“Yes, but, writing poems and compositions are two different things,” he said, eyes glancing back and forth between her and the keys. “One, I can pen in a minute but even a simple melody, with all of the complexities…” He stopped at the keys, sighing. Mozu scooted closer, putting her hand on his back and rubbing it up and down.

“Hey, hey, don’t get all riled up,” she said, her voice soft. “I just thought that that it’d be a good fit.” He cast his glance towards her, leaning into her touch.

“Hmm…it would be a challenge,” he said, his voice softening as well, “but true creativity comes best within limitations,”

“That’s the spirit,” she said, patting his shoulder. “Well, Music Man? Got any other crazy songs in that head o’ yours?”

“Depends on what you’d like to hear.”

She pulled away, only because she thought that leaning on his arm could impair his playing. “Hmm, something nice…and soft. Maybe slow,” she said. Xander’s eyes glanced toward the ceiling in thought as he rolled his shoulders. He nodded once and sat with his back straight and wrists relaxed over the keys. His song started with a whisper of notes, like soft bells. As he continued the soothing theme, its volume never rose to the levels of the last piece he performed. Mozu’s shoulders relaxed as her heart beat slowed, her eyes going half-lidded. He glanced to her, nudging his shoulder. Without exchanging words, she accepted his invitation and inched closer, leaning against him. Contrary to what she thought, her touch didn’t seem to hinder him.

As she listening to the lyrics of the piano, Mozu had forgotten why they were in that room in the first place. She disregarded the servants, the pressure, the impending confrontation at the Ice Tribe, all of it. For now, she just wanted to listen to her husband play with his gliding fingers, whispering a hushed, yet captivating theme as if it were a lullaby.

In her mind, did she just say husband? It was wrong to refer to him as such, wasn’t it? After all, they had not yet bowed before an altar, saying their vows to the gods. Yet. Even now, as she fluttered her eyes open to look at him, it was hard to believe that they were one step away from being wed. But, it was as Xander had said: it had to be her. Likewise, for her, it had to be him. He stood up to the king, risking so much for her. She knew that at her wedding, as she knelt before that altar, she would thank the gods like crazy.

“Lady Mozu?” Xander stopped playing as Mozu sat up, looking towards the door. She sighed, recognizing the voice of Clement. He knocked on the door. “A-are you i-in there?” Xander looked down at her, his expression calm as his eyes narrowed.

“You should go,” he whispered. Mozu frowned, looking between him and the door.

“But…”

“Compromise. Remember?” He lifted his hand to her cheek, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. “It won’t be forever,”

“…I know.” With a deep breath, she dragged herself off the bench, savoring his fading touch as she walked away. She answered the door with heavy shoulders, meeting the trembling figures of Mina and Clement, their eyes wide and dry. Once they saw her, they both sighed in heavy relief.

“Goodness,” Clement said, his voice brittle. “Thank the gods we found you, Lady Mozu!”

“And in one piece!” said Mina. “Please, forgive—ah! Lord Xander!” She and Clement bowed and curtseyed once the prince walked over, dropping the usual soft voice he held for Mozu and using his common, reserved tone.

“Good afternoon,” he said, also returning to his perpetual frown. “Is everything alright?”

“Y-yes!” Clement said. “F-forgive us for intruding, Milord, but w-we were given orders by the king,”

“W-we were to serve Lady Mozu all day,” Mina said. “And fit her with clothes necessary for a c-crown princess,”

“But I’m tellin’ ya,’” Mozu said, putting her hands on her hips, “I really don’t need all o’ that,”

“I-I understand, L-Lady Mozu,” Clement said, frowning, “b-but we have orders…”

Mozu bit her bottom lip, her eyes glancing between the two servants who looked at her with pleading eyes. She glanced back at Xander, looking for help. He gestured to them, mouthing the word, “compromise.” Yeah, yeah, she thought. Compromise. In a situation like this, it would be best to try to find something that she needed more than a big, poufy dress. Suddenly, her eyes widened as an idea clicked in her mind. The solution was a lot more obvious than she would have thought.

“Well, ya’ know,” she said, a smile rising on her lips, “I’m leaving for the Ice Tribe in a week, right?”

“Yes, Milady,” Clement said, lifting a brow, “that’s correct,”

“I just now realized that I don’t got anything for the cold.” Their eyes widened. “Not a coat or nothin’. You don’t think that we could get those instead?”

Clement and Mina gasped, grins jumping on their faces. “Yes!” Mina said, clapping her hands. “Of course, follow me!”

“We can outfit you with many coats and capes, Milady,” Clement said as Mozu started with walk with them. “And perhaps a suitable traveling tunic,”

“That’d be great!” Mozu said, excited to have found a good middle ground. If she had to be pampered a bit, might as well walk away with something she could use. That, and it would save her time from having to make her own clothes later on in the week. As the two servants chattered on, she looked back at Xander, seeing if he reacted. His soft smile returned and he gave her a quick thumbs-up for a job well done. She returned the gesture with a soft wave and happy grin before she followed the two down the hall.

* * *

Unlike Hoshido, Nohr’s skies darkened much earlier in the day. A cloud cover already hung over their heads as Leo gave Sakura the tour of the courtyard, thickening with each minute. She didn’t notice on the account of distracting herself with Leo’s insight on the botany of the gardens. With each passing flower, she kept a running count in her head, wanting to come back later on her own time to study them further. Leo had said that some of the flowers they had were poisonous, but kept around for their beauty to be admired. Sakura knew her way around a poisonous flower and also knew that those flowers had some of the most interesting features. As someone who healed also using herbs, it was important for her to keep up her knowledge and studies. That was something Leo knew, but she was unaware by how much he knew about the different flowers. As they walked and she listened, Sakura wondered just how much she really knew about her betrothed, or rather, how much she didn’t.

They came to a halt once a low rumble emitted from the sky. She looked up, now noticing the thick gray canopy of clouds, looming over Nohr and covering its mountaintops. The wind picked up and chilled the dropping temperature, causing her to hold her own arms. “Looks like a storm tonight,” Leo said, his expression callous as he led her back inside. Of course it would be; storms came all the time in Nohr. She knew from the one a couple of days ago that they were unlike the showers of rain in Hoshido that often came with sunlight. From Shirasagi, watching the rain during the spring season was like a blessing from the gods as they watered their plentiful crops and filled their wells and springs. She remembered having hot, miso soup as the drops pattered on the windows around them. When they were younger, they used to beg Mikoto to go outside, thinking that getting wet and stepping in mud would be fun. The last time they did that, Sakura had caught a fever and Mikoto never allowed it again.

Now, hearing the thunder roar and rumble above them sounded less like a blessing and more like a punishment. “They do more harm than good,” Leo said. “The lightning sets trees and homes ablaze, and the rain pours so hard that it can flood certain places if the people are not careful,”

“What about the water?” she asked as they kept walking,

“We manage to get some, yes, but Nohr’s pitiful land tends to soak up most of it. We’re in the process of trying to build dams,” he said, “but we’re in no strong physical or economic position to begin,”

“I see.” Indeed, much more of a punishment than blessing. She looked to her right and left, remembering the rather lavish décor of this particular wing and hall, including the red and gold door that led to the unique lounging room Leo had taken her to that one night. “Hey, I remember this,”

“Ah…” He frowned at the door, putting his hands behind his back.

“Hm? You didn’t like that night?”

“Oh, I enjoyed the first part very much. Though, do you remember when Niles suddenly pulled me away?” She nodded. “It was to tell me who you really were.” Sakura’s shoulders dropped, recalling the fine detail that she was still keeping up the charade at that time. When Leo all of a sudden excused himself for the night, she had wondered what kind of an emergency it was. So it was from that moment that everything changed, didn’t it?

“Oh…” She cast her head down as dread sunk into her stomach. Even though the ordeal was over, its memories still weighed in. “S-so, I guess…y-you don’t have happy memories of th-that night anymore…”

He replied with a softer voice. “No, I do. But…” Now that she thought of it, Sakura never considered what he must have felt like when he found out. They had almost kissed that night, meaning, he had to have feelings for her then. If Xander, who had clear feelings for Mozu, had been as shaken up as he did, then what about Leo? She couldn’t let it go.

Sakura reached for Leo’s hand, tugging him closer. “Then let’s go talk about it?”

“Here?”

“S-seems appropriate…”

He didn’t resist in following her inside the lounging room. They had left it a mess but the servants tidied up all of the spilled wine and rearranged the fluffy pillows. With the pouring rain dripping on the windowsill, it seemed like a good fit. As they sat down, she remembered that night all over again, how their words barely slurred as she told stories of Mikoto’s many blunders. Leo kicked off his shoes and lied on his back with a sigh. “Gods, I forgot how comfy this room is.” She sat against the wall, holding a pillow in her arms as he sat back up, scooting back to lean against the window. “So…?”

“Well, I-I just realized th-that I never got to know,”

“Know…?”

“H-how you felt. Wh-when you f-found out?”

Leo’s expression sobered as he leaned his head back, looking towards the ceiling. He shrugged his shoulders, resting an arm over his knee. “There were a lot of things,” he started, his tone callous. “Anxiety and stress, mostly. Then, later, it manifested into some resentment.”

She hid half of her face behind the pillow, mumbling, “I-I’m sorry…”

“I’m sorry too.” His face turned to hers. “I should have handled it more delicately. I shouldn’t have tricked you,”

“Why did you?”

He paused, running some fingers through his hair. “I thought you would lie to me otherwise,” he said. “If I had asked you right out.” Her eyes went downturned and her shoulders drooped, grasping the meaning that he had not trusted her. Could she blame him? She did lie about her identity. Though it pained her to know how he felt, she knew its importance. “And you?” he asked, breaking her from her thoughts. “I’m sure you haven’t completely forgiven me for everything,”

“W-well, w-we’re engaged now, s-so…”

His brows furrowed. “That has nothing to do with it. Even when we are married, there will be times where we will fight. It’s best to tell me your reserves as I will with you.”

Sakura let that sink in, clutching the pillow closer to her. Of course she hadn’t completely let go of Leo tricking her into revealing herself, nor of him sentencing Mozu to torture. If her memory served correct, the poor girl still had those off-color scars on her back and because of her condition when it happened, they would never completely fade. Mozu suffered so she wouldn’t have to; it made her wonder how far Leo was willing to go to protect her. “I-I don’t hate y-you for it,”

“But you did?” She nodded once, watching him slump and his frown deepen. “Well the good news is that I won’t be able to do that again.” He chuckled dryly, attempting to lighten the mood. “ _I’d_ probably suffer two hundred for harming the crown princess.”

Sakura returned with a dry laugh behind her lips, her grip slacking around the pillow. It would take time, but she would eventually let go of all resentment, especially if he kept his promise from his proposal. She tilted her head to the side, recalling her earlier musings about how far he was willing to go. “Have you done something like that before?”

He blinked in surprise, crossing his arms. “In what sense? Trick someone like you or give out harsh sentences?”

“Any of that. Are…are you used to it?”

Leo’s eyes narrowed, his lips pressing into a thin line as he glanced away. His shoulders stiffened and he scowled at the floor below him, as if he could see the stains. “Yes.”

Sakura lowered the pillow as she tried to fathom what that response meant. “Wh…what have you?...”

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he exhaled. When he lifted his head to face her, his eyes opened, remaining still and half-lidded. “Many things. I do the hard things that my father or Xander cannot, whether they are aware of it or not.” He paused, gauging her reaction before he continued. “A couple of months ago, we had an incident,”

“Wh-what kind?” She inched further, curiosity piquing her interest with a hint of fear.

His expression soured. “A Count had his eyes on Elise,” he said, “with less than pure intentions.” Less than pure? Sakura's heart sunk at the realization, unable to imagine sweet Elise as a target. “He wasn’t sneaky about it, either. For a while, at the parties, he’d always ask to dance with her and he had this sickening look in his eyes. And you know Elise.” She nodded, knowing the girl most likely wouldn’t have noticed. “I had my suspicions. Niles confirmed them.” Didn’t that sound familiar. “We went to his estate. I let Niles take care of him as I asked the questions,”

“A-and when you s-say ‘take care,’…?”

Leo’s eyes narrowed and his tone turned grave. “Let’s just say he sobbed his confession and let’s also say how that wasn’t enough for Niles.” Her throat dried as her shoulders dropped. “Turns out, Elise wasn’t his first target. If he hadn’t been a Count, I would have let Niles finish. We parted ways on the agreement that he would never show his face in court or the noble estates ever again.”

Finish…finish as in kill him? She would certainly never look at Niles the same way ever again, but could the same be said about Leo too? This kind of thing was far more different than tricking her into using a Dragon Vein or sentencing her innocent handmaiden to a hundred lashes. Leo was actually _there_ , ordering Niles and extracting information out of the Count. She couldn’t imagine him, the same man that played her a song so sweetly, looking onto the torture, even encouraging it. Not to say that the Count was innocent; he was far from it. Judging from the dead look in his eyes and tight frown, something told her that he took no enjoyment in telling her. Placing a hand over her pacing heart, she narrowed her brows. “Did you have to?”

He paused, then nodded once. “Imagine if he had gotten his hands on Elise. What he does…used to do…” His tone grew bitter. “She would have been alive, but in name only. Her cheery smile would have never come back and she would add to the lives taken by the Nohrian court.”

“B-but…why didn’t you tell your father? O-or Xander?”

He sighed. “They would have tried him. Nohrian law makes it extremely difficult to convict a noble, including a Count. I imagined that they would have debated for months and even then, there was a chance he would have gotten off. I couldn’t risk it…”

Even if Sakura couldn’t fathom how Leo was able to allow himself to do these things, they all stemmed from the love he has for his family. In that sense, she could understand him, but… to sink that low? A lump formed in her throat as he sighed deeply, rubbing his eyes. She could see how the possibilities and the burden taxed him, and just maybe, that was his only salvation. Listening to the storm outside, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Sakura rested his head on her shoulders as he spoke again. “I-I’m sorry…I had to tell you,”

“…Yes, you did,”

“It never gets easier.” He lifted his head, his eyes heavy and narrowed. “But…I’m hoping…” He lifted his hand to her cheek, holding it in his palm. “I’m hoping we can do what we can to fix this…this system,”

“I-I do too.” _Before you start doing worse things_ …

Leo rested his head on her lap, letting her fingers play with strands of his hair as she looked out the window. Lightning flashed every so often, illuminating the room.

This was Nohr, where even the gods wept at the injustice of its kingdom. This was where even the royals had limits on their resources, forcing the lower-class to resort to crime to survive. This is where the system was so tightly wound that it forced people like Leo to burden himself with hard decisions to keep afloat. This, in every sense of the word, was not Hoshido.

She glanced down at the prince, his eyes closed and body relaxed. The only movement he made was his chest, rising and falling with his breathing. _You and I have to do something_ , she thought. _Before Nohr swallows you into its darkness even further._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, that was long. Thanks for sticking with me so far, I really love you guys! In fact, I'm gonna shameless self promote causeeeee it's my birthday in a week(October 2nd, to be exact). I already said it on tumblr, but any gifts relating to the fic or both ships will be greatly appreciated! No pressure tho, I promise, lmfao, I just really want more content of these two rarepairs is that too much? ANYWAY. I hope you enjoyed this chapter cause next time, we'll be on the way to the Ice Tribe, woot woot. Thank you so much for all of the comments, kudos, and kind words. I know I repeat myself every time, but it's worth repeating! I love you guysss
> 
> P.S: Also, thanks to Janiforme for this adorable little artwork, ye!: http://sakialumei.tumblr.com/post/150565553760/crappy-doodle-based-on-one-of-your-response-to-my Told ya I was gonna gush about it for dayz :U


	19. A Short Journey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyooo everyone. Here's a shorter chapter for you all. It took me a while because i got writer's block on filling in the details and siiiigh it just took me forever ;w;  
> HOWEVER, thank you everyone for the birthday wishes and birthday gifts! I loved them soooo much. If you haven't seen 'em they are all in this tag right over here: http://sakialumei.tumblr.com/tagged/sakias-birthday-shenanigans  
> You guys rock!  
> Anyway here's this chapter. Hope you guys like it!

**A Short Journey**

 

Before the dawn’s light cast over Nohr, Mozu was gently wakened by Mina and Clement. The maid assisted her in dressing in her new winter tunic and cape, her help greatly appreciated in such dark hours of the morning. In the mirror, she looked it over, feeling the linings of the fur in her fingers, having only worn the garment once for fitting. Thankfully, they had made most of it in plain, dark blue colors, the color accenting with the dirty, white fur and single red ribbon tied around her waist to keep an obi-like piece of garment around her stomach. She had suggested the Hoshidan garment to add her own twist to it; plus, it would keep her stomach warm which was important.

Suppressing yawns, she followed the two of them out of the room, and towards the castle’s stables near the entrance. The three sets of retainers, also dressed in winter-modified uniforms, moved crates of supplies onto a wagon and fed the horses. Rubbing her eyes, Mozu looked around for familiar faces and spotted the two princes standing beside their trusty steeds. They wore the armor that Mozu had seen when they first met, but had also modified it slightly. The capes that accompanied them were longer, also lined with fur, and they wore thick gloves instead of gauntlets. They looked over a parchment of paper, pointing in different directions as they discussed. She waited until Leo folded the parchment up and excused himself to check on something else, she guessed. Patting her cheeks to wake herself up a bit, she dragged her body over to greet Xander, half-noticing the long sheath in his left hand. “Mornin’,” she said, voice still raspy.

“Good morning to you too. Sleep well?”

“I guess. Remind me why we’re up so early?”

Xander sighed, dropping his shoulders. “We have limited daylight while traveling. It’s best to save it for the more dangerous territories, such as the woods,”

“Ah.” She glanced over and noticed Sakura waltz in, her cape trailing on the ground as she found Leo. Mozu remembered packing that cape, its insides lined with the fur of a fox. She wore clothes reminiscent of her uniform as a Shrine Maiden and with the added cape, gloves, and boots, she would be just fine in the cold.

“Come,” Xander said, taking Algol’s reins and starting in the direction opposite of everyone else. “Follow me.” She obeyed as her eyes darted to the long, deep purple sheath in his hand, her head tilting.

“Whazzat?”

“What?”

“That.” She pointed to the sheath. “Is that a sword?” she asked, lifting her chin to meet his face. Xander lifted a brow in confusion, lips parting as he looked between the sheath and her.

“You’ve never…hm,”

“’Hm’ what?”

“Odd, is all. I guess you wouldn’t have seen Siegfried since I had no use for it during our trip.”

Mozu snorted. “You got attacked by a bear,”

“Foolishly, I left it behind. I won’t make the same mistake twice.” He stopped once they reached the exit of the stables where everyone would gather soon.

“So, wait,” she said, gaining his attention. “Am I supposed to know what ‘Siegfried’ is?”

Xander curled the corner of his lips into a smirk, standing before her. He held the sheath in his left, setting its tip on the ground. Once his right took ahold of the handle, she noticed how the sword would rival her in height, its hilt longer than her head. Slowly, he drew the dark sword and the second that it peeked through, a purple aura pulsed from it. He only pulled out a quarter of the sword, but its aura was enough to make her take a step back. He noticed and sheathed it back, walking to Algol’s side to strap the sheath to the horse.

“Oh gods,” Mozu breathed, holding her chest. “You don’t think you’re gonna hafta use that, are you?”

“Hopefully not,” he answered, pulling the straps. “Siegfried these days acts more of a symbol than a weapon. It is proof of my royal title,”

“Okay, good, ‘cause I was scared that you were gonna use it in diplomacy talks.” Xander laughed, his shoulders rising as he finished securing the sword, turning back to her with his soft smile. His eyes glanced up and down, his features softening as well.

“You look magnificent.”

Despite the cold morning nipping at her skin, she still managed to feel some heat rush through her. “Y-you do t-too…”

He took a step forward, taking her hand in his. “I know you may not care for the nice clothes, but…” He brought her hand closer. “You’re starting to look like a queen.” Xander gave her the same tender kiss on her hand that he had the first time they met, making her feel like a princess. Except, this time, it made her feel like a queen.

“As long as I’m your queen.” When their eyes met again, she caught the faintest glint in his irises, making her heart race. His eyes went half-lidded and he started to lean in.

“Milord. Milady.” Xander’s expression dropped as he let go of her hand, standing straight with his hands behind his back. Mozu did the same, jumping a step back and turning to the familiar voice of Laslow. The mercenary approached them, also rubbing his eyes before he spoke again. “It seems as if we’re ready to depart,”

“Good,” Xander said, his voice reverting to his normal tone, “then let us waste no time.” Laslow bowed, turning on his heel and suppressing a yawn behind his hand. Holding the end of her cape, Mozu took ahold of Algol’s saddle and climbed on top, situating herself as Xander sat behind her. The party of the royals and retainers formed with Algol and Rasalas side by side in the front, the retainers on horses next, then the wagon of supplies at the end. They made their way towards the front gates of the castle, overlooking the capital city below. There, Garon waited with Camilla and Elise by his side.

“Alright, you four,” he said, speaking to the leaders, “I am counting on you to make good decisions and to find peace with the tribe. Nohr is counting on you. Should you fail,” and his voice turned grave, “the consequences are on you and only you.” Mozu and Sakura exchanged worried glances. “Godspeed, my sons. Come back safe.”

Leo and Xander bowed their heads. “Thank you, Father,” they said. They looked to their sisters one last time, waving to them before turning their backs on them. The gates opened and thus started the short journey to the Ice Tribe.

The tribe was South-West, lying in the heart of the frozen mountain tops and they would have to skirt around the woods. The hours were silent for the most part, everyone concentrating on maneuvering through the fields as quickly as possible. A brisk gallop was no good for a conversation anyway. As Xander had said, dusk’s veil loomed over them soon, their daylight waning, and it was time to rest for the night. Mozu watched the four male retainers unload and set up tents in the enclosed clearing they had chosen and glanced to the wagon to see Peri unloading the cooking supplies. With a smile, she walked over and offered her help. “Nope,” Peri said, keeping her curled smile. “This is our job, Milady,”

“B-but I’m not doing anything else,”

“That’s how it should be.” Before she could protest, Peri skipped off as she hummed loudly. Mozu sulked off, finding Sakura standing nearby and watching the others well.

“Are you bored too?” Sakura asked, a soft giggle accompanying her.

“Yeah. Where are the princes?”

“Off getting firewood. They’re with each other, so you don’t need to worry,”

“Good…” She didn’t want to see Xander attacked by another bear, but if Leo was with them and they brought their weapons, then they should be fine.

“Are you nervous?” Sakura asked, inching closer.

“Geeze, how can I not be?” She cast her head down, frowning at the ground. “I ain’t never done anything like this…talk to a foreign power and all,”

“It’s okay,” Sakura said, putting her hand on her shoulder. That little touch made the world of a difference in calming Mozu’s nerves. “Mother had to confer with the Wind Tribe all of the time.” Mozu lifted her head, meeting the princess’s tender expression. “And she always had their best interests at heart. If we follow her example, maybe…maybe it won’t be all bad.”

Follow Queen Mikoto’s example, hm? The queen was a very favorable ruler and the Hoshidan people adored her. Sakura always looked up to her so maybe, it was time for Mozu to do the same and take inspiration from the graceful queen. It was an honorable goal. With a nod, Mozu returned her smile. “Maybe you’re right.” Her comforting words eased her to sleep that night.

The entrance of the mountain passage had the last bit of green and brown they would see, and less than an hour traveling, the patches of snow scattered about. Though their winter coats seemed heavy during their time navigating through the woods, once the white lands started to set in, they were much appreciated. At first, still near the lower altitudes, the snow was light enough to remind them of Hoshido. In the winter months, the snow sprinkled down, never covering more than a couple of inches, if that. “We’d always play outside,” Sakura said to them, “And make snowmen,”

“I’m afraid this snow isn’t like that,” Xander said, looking ahead. “Once we reach the higher peaks, it becomes blistering,”

“It isn’t snow storm season,” Leo said, “but we should still try to make it to the tribe before there’s a chance of one occurring.”

Sure enough, as the horses slowed from the increased inches of snow, the cold wind bit at their cheeks and noses. Mozu lifted her gloved hand to her face, breathing air to warm her nose and lips. She looked over at Sakura, watching her rub her arms up and down to cease her shivering. In time, her teeth started to chatter and she found herself tugging on her cape to block out the cold. Never in her life had she experienced such low temperatures, feeling the color fade from her skin as her body could not stop shaking. She couldn’t be the only one, could she? Mozu looked behind her at the retainers, some of them shivering as well. Benny, Niles, and Peri seemed like the only ones unaffected while the rest rubbed their hands together and watched as their exhaling breaths froze.

Raising his voice over the wind, Leo called, “It should be through that last pass,” and he pointed to a rising slope. “Careful, we’re reaching higher elevation. It might be more difficult to breath.” As if the conditions couldn’t get worse. Starting their hike on the pass, it came to a point where it was too steep to ride the horses safely. As Mozu dismounted, her feet fell into the snow, swallowing her past her ankles. She sucked air between her teeth from the sudden envelope of ice around her legs, but thankfully, her boots would keep out any moisture from seeping in. Sakura had the same reaction as she did, her body freezing for a moment.

They had to trudge ahead. A shrilled “Ow!” follow by a thud stopped everyone in their tracks. Charlotte had fallen in the snow between Laslow and Niles and she propped herself up on all fours, shaking snow out of her golden locks. “Owie…can someone--,”

“I got it!” Before either of the men could bend down, Mozu slid down the slope to help her. She had never forgotten how the Fighter helped her when she was pretending to be Sakura or when she gave her the open-back dress. With a smile, she reached a hand toward her. “Are you okay?”

Charlotte glanced up at her, looking between Laslow and Niles before she forced a grin, her voice much too sweet. “Oh…I’m just fine, heehee.” Her gloved hand grabbed Mozu’s and used it to hoist herself up, patting snow off her coat. “Just dandy! Thank you…Milady.” Mozu noticed the forced inflection in her voice, and though her face was smiling, she couldn’t help but feel like it was saying otherwise.

“No problem. Uhm. I-I’m here when you need me.” Charlotte’s expression remain unchanged but Mozu felt it drop when she turned her back on her. Now she had to reach back into her mind and see if she had done anything against Charlotte…

The wind picked up to a point where it howled and could freeze the eyes of anyone who dared to look ahead. They moved slow, arms over their eyes as one step felt like taking twenty. Xander kept Algol close, comforting the horse to the best of his ability when it grew ornery. In the precious moments where his eyes could stand to be open for a few seconds, he glanced between the road ahead and the Hoshidan behind him, using Algol’s saddle to stabilize herself. As Leo had predicted, Mozu found herself gasping behind her hand. Sucking in the icy air stung her throat, and she wasn’t sure if not breathing at all would be worse. Her fingers and toes felt like they would freeze right off and her lips were chapped and blistered. After an eternity, they reached the top of the peak, beholding the sight before them as the blistering wind began to die down.

Much to Mozu’s surprise, the Ice Tribe wasn’t a town gathering of little huts. Instead, much like Windmire, the tribe had erected a wall of ice around its spacious area. Like an oxymoron, behind the tribe was a giant waterfall of dark, blue water flowing behind it. The density of houses and structures started off very slim near the entrance, most of them surrounding the small palace situated on the highest level, overlooking the metropolis. The city shone brightly under the sun, as if it were made of crystal. “It’s beautiful…” Mozu breathed.

“Isn’t it?” Xander said, standing beside her. “It’s my first time here as well,”

“If it wasn’t so hard to get to,” Leo quipped, “it might make a nice vacation spot.”

They began their descent down the passage, reaching the bottom before the wind all of a sudden picked up at a howling pace. Snow flurried everywhere as they covered their eyes with their arms to shield themselves, their voices grunting in surprise.

A voice called out, clear despite the wind. “Halt. Who goes there?” As quickly as the wind started, it died down. They slowly lowered their arms, keeping defensive positions, as a figure appeared before them. Their eyes bulged seeing a woman standing before them, one arm out stretched towards them and another holding a blue tome. She wore dark clothes of mesh and gold with a feather cape, marking the distinct uniform of an advanced mage. To Mozu, it was crazy how much skin she was showing from her stomach and legs; how was she not freezing? She looked up to her face, noticing the paleness in her skin and the gray color in her eyes. Her hair was tied back, its color a light and cold blue. They must have spent so much time staring, for she spoke again. “I asked who goes there,” she said, her tone grave.

Xander stood up straight, speaking with his reserved voice. “We come from Windmire to seek relations with the Ice Tribe. I am Crown Prince Xander of Nohr.” The woman narrowed her eyes, slowly lowering her arm.

“And I am Prince Leo of Nohr,” Leo said, catching her attention. “As my brother had said, we come in peace.”

“Prince Leo,” she repeated, her grave tone lightening. She took a couple of steps forward towards him, gaining all watchful eyes on her. “If you’re really the prince, then you carry the divine tome with you, do you not?”

“Yes,” he said reaching for the pouch at his horse’s side. He presented Brynhildr to her, keeping a tight hand on it. “Satisfied?”

She stroked her finger over the black engravings. “I must say,” she said, looking only at him, “I didn’t expect to meet you like this,”

“Wait, to meet…me?” he asked, pointing to himself. Sakura’s expression went downturned, keeping her eyes fixated on the woman.

“Indeed. I thought that our first meeting would have been kneeling before the altar.” Silence filled the area as Sakura’s expression dropped, glancing between the woman and Leo.

After a minute of his own shock, Leo spoke. “Y-you’re… _you’re_ Flora?”

“Are you surprised?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“I-I, well…I-I didn’t expect the chief’s daughter to guard the border,”

“I’m not officially guarding, no.” She turned on her heel and gestured for them to follow. “Let’s just say I like it better out here than in there.” She paused. “So, are you here to whisk me away to Windmire?”

The question stung harder than the ice, but Leo felt its lash harder than the others. He looked to Xander, asking him with his eyes if it was okay. The elder prince made no resisting gesture. “I’m not,” Leo said. “And I never intend to.”

Flora stopped in her tracks, turning around suddenly. “Did…I hear that correctly?”

“Yes,” Leo said, his eyes pinching. “I…I have no intention of wedding you. No one does.” Her lips parted, glancing between the two princes, then the two Hoshidans standing beside them. She shut her jaw, teeth grinding as she crossed her arms again.

“Really. So, are we to go to war?”

“Heavens no,” Leo said. “We wish to mend relations with your father. However, we would like to do that without the need for our engagement.” He was about to explain more before Flora put her hand up, silencing him.

“Let’s get inside first.” She led them away from the gates of the tribe, not too far away, and brought them to a small cabin house. It only had one room, with a fireplace in its back wall and rugs on the floor. The single table and bed off to the side were covered in books and papers, all scattered about with the blankets on the floor. Flora lifted her arm towards one of the books and a red tome lifted from the pile. Without batting an eye, she gathered a Fire spell in her hand and used it to light the fireplace. Everyone piled into the house, welcoming the first sign of warmth since they started their trek up the mountain. She gestured for the two princes to sit at the chairs.

“Don’t tell me,” Leo said, “that you live here?”

“No. But I am here often,” she said, standing before them. “So for what reason have you decided to annul our engagement?” she asked, crossing her arms.

Leo sat up straight, sounding as professional as possible. “Well, simply put, I have found someone else that I wish to spend my life with.” Flora’s gray eyes widened. “I hope this means no offense to you…”

She paused, a hint of bitterness in her voice. “…Why would it? I don’t know you and you don’t know me. Then again, I am curious to know,” she said, putting her fingers under her chin, “who this girl is,”

“U-uhm,” Sakura said, lifting her hand, “th-that w-would b-be m-m-me…”

Flora raised a brow, her tone unamused. “And…you are?”

“Pr-Princess S…Sakura of Ho-Hoshido.”

Her shoulders dropped, turning to the other prince. “What? But I thought that Prince Xander was…”

“You are correct,” Xander said. “However, I too, have chosen to spend my life with someone else.”

They waited for Flora to react or say anything, but she did neither. She kept her arms crossed tight, lips neutral as her cold eyes narrowed. With every second she took, the air in the room hardened, like it was freezing. No one was sure if it only felt like it or if she was actually willing it so.

Finally, she let her arms drop to her side. “I guess that’s a relief. I was never excited about marrying you anyway,” she said. “What are you going to tell my father?”

Leo cleared his throat. “We brought the treaty proposals with us. He would have been compensated,”

“Let me hear them, then,”

“…Right.” He relaxed his shoulders, his voice flowing. “Our treaty with Hoshido will bring us many more resources that Nohr sorely needs, and we are more than happy to share them. I understand that the tribe needs grains and the like.” Flora nodded. “We also know that ore is hard to mine in the mountains, and thus, we would be willing to trade those as well. And--,”

“Water,” Flora said. “Is Hoshido giving you water?”

“Y-yes. We still need the tribe’s shared supply. Your water takes two days to arrive in the capital but water from Hoshido could take a month.”

She sighed and closed her eyes. “Mmm…” Then she reopened them. “My father won’t like this one bit. It would be easier for you to rely completely on Hoshido.”

Xander’s brows creased, his frown deepening. “We can’t. Hoshido will only be sending us the minimum for the first half-year, or so. Maybe even longer,”

“Besides,” Leo said. “We count not only on the tribe’s resources, but its loyalty as well. They are Nohrians, the same as us.”

Flora glanced between them, her shoulders slumping. “I’m not sure if my father feels the same way. But,” she said, taking a step forward, “all I can say is that you proceed with caution. It might even be impossible,”

“We’re willing to take the chance,” Leo said, standing. “The sooner we speak to Kilma, the better.” She nodded, walking past them to the door.

“I suppose it’s best to get it over with.” They tugged their horses and wagon along, following Flora to the entrance of the tribe. As they walked down the center road directly onward to the palace, the people of the tribe stopped and stared, their eyes narrow and lips curled into sneers. “Nohrians, they’re Nohrians, why are they here?” were some of the few whispers that passed by. The unwelcoming words continued, even as they ascended the stairs and roads that would lead to the top platform that housed the palace. Everyone, from hunters carrying their fresh kills to small children holding dolls, would exchange glances with them, even for a brief second. Sakura felt shamed enough to look only at her feet to see where she was going as Mozu inched closer to her fiancé, keeping her expression tight.

They reached the palace entrance with yet another solid wall of ice blocking them. It was perhaps less than a quarter size of Krakenburg, certainly not sporting its many floors and wings. The palace was large, yes, by peasant standards and had maybe three floors at most. Two mages stood on either side of the wall, and once Flora commanded them, they held their tomes and made it disappear with a simple wave of their arms. One mage offered to take their horses and wagon to the stables, but his voice was dead with no sense of service. Mozu looked up as Xander hesitated for a second when he handed the reins over, his eyes narrow as he watched Algol leave with the other horses. Seeing that only confirmed her suspicions that something didn’t seem right.

The party strolled into the palace, past its double wooden doors, and walked into the foyer. Unsurprisingly, its temperature was more or less the same than the outside, enough to see one’s own breath as they spoke. The inside was not nearly as ornate as Krakenburg either, having only a simple rug on the wooden floor to lead people to the staircase down the hall. No banners or portraits hung on the walls; only bearskins and various, ornate blades.

Nearing the staircase, a light, giggling voice echoed through the hall. Two figures came into view, one male and one female. He was tall, wearing a similar uniform to Flora’s, except his colors matched the light blues and grays of the tribe while the girl’s appearance matched Flora’s exactly, apart from the light, pinkish hair. Flora stopped at the foot of the staircase, looking up at them. “Father? Felicia?”

The one named Felicia looked down the stairs, her blue eyes large like a child’s. “Hey, Flora! We, uh, missed you at practice, today,”

“Forgive me,” Flora said, her voice easy as a smile peeked onto her lips. “I was studying by myself again.”

The smile faded when she saw the man pause and look past her to the Nohrians behind her. First, at Xander, then Leo, then the exotic looking girls standing beside them. “Flora,” he said, “who walks with you?”

Her tone dropped its softness. “The royal princes of Nohr are here to negotiate with you, Father.” He put his hands behind his back, waiting a second before beginning his slow decent down the stairs, Felicia following.

“Ah,” he said, a smile on his face, “so Garon has sent his sons to me. Pray tell, Your Royal Highnesses, could the king not make it himself?”

Xander spoke. “He sends his kindest regards. However, he had recently returned from the Chevois rebellion and had to resume his kingly duties immediately.” He stood up straight, also putting his hands behind his back. “I assure you, Lord Kilma, that my brother and I have nothing but the best intentions for your tribe and our kingdom.”

So this was Kilma. He carried the voice and demeanor of a leader, but his initial question left foreboding in Mozu’s heart. Even now, as he spoke, she could almost place the thin veil of honey in his voice. “Of course. But why so suddenly? The king and I had already an agreement to reconvene at a later time where I would have officially handed over Flora to Prince Leo.” She glanced away.

Felicia gasped. “What? You’re not here to take her now, a-are you?” Her wide eyes went downturned as she looked to her sister pleadingly.

Xander and Leo exchanged looks again, fear setting into their eyes. To Mozu, it felt too early to drop the bridge on him now, but if not now, then when? Negotiations had to start somehow. Leo broke the silence, calming his voice to the best of his ability. “Therein lies the haste, Lord Kilma. You see…you see…” He glanced to Sakura for a second. “The c-circumstances have been altered.” Oh gods, here it comes. “We wish to negotiate a new treaty… without an engagement.”

Kilma’s smile faded as his head slowly turned to Flora, eyes scowling. She looked away in turn, crossing her arms as if she had nothing to do with it as Felicia’s head turned side to side between the Nohrians and her father. The honey in his voice dropped once he turned to face Leo. “You’re going to ask for an annulment, just like that?” he asked,

“O-Our new terms would greatly benefit you more than--,”

“Might I ask what these circumstances are?” Leo opened his mouth to speak, looking down at Sakura once more. “Oh…of course. What else would it be?” Kilma said, a dry chuckle escaping. The prince’s expression dropped for a second, astonished at how lightly the tribe leader took the news.  “Well, I’m sure you can tell me all about it at dinner,”

“Dinner?” Leo asked. “Are we--?”

“Invited? Of course. What kind of a host would I be?” His lips turned into a smirk. “I’m sure you’re weary from your journey through the mountains. Flora.” She perked her head up. “Make sure they’re not late. Until then, Your Royal Highnesses. Come along, Felicia” Before anyone could get another word in, Kilma turned on his heel to ascend back up the stairs.

A nervous laugh escaped Felicia as she glanced to her father then her sister. “I-It was n-nice to meet you! So you’re _not_ taking Flora away?” she asked, a smile curling on her face.

“Felicia!”

“C-coming! I-I’ll see you later!” She also turned on her heel, but once she was three steps up the stairs, she took a small stumble, hastening her journey. Once they were out of ear shot, Flora glanced up at her sister, rolling her shoulders back. “That wasn’t…what I expected at all,” she said, her voice wary. “He let it go, just like that?”

“…Perhaps he didn’t,” Leo said, “We’ll try our best at dinner, but, we’ll have to choose our words carefully.” He stroked his chin. “Is there a study we can use beforehand to review?”

“I guess there’s a meeting room you can use instead.” She gestured for them to follow and unlike navigating through Krakenburg, they were at the door in less than five minutes. The retainers waited outside as the five of them walked in. The walls were a plain navy blue colors, wearing no designs or intricate patterns. The only furniture were the long, mahogany table and the chairs sitting around it. Everyone but Flora took a seat as she leaned against the wall.

“You felt it too,” Xander said, looking at the others, “didn’t you?”

“Something’s amiss,” Leo said, tapping his fingers on the desk.

“I-If you just e-explain,” Sakura said, “H-he would understand…j-just like your father did,”

“Hmph,” Flora groaned, “Garon isn’t like my father. I’m surprised that the king allowed this,”

“Yes, well,” Xander said, “our respective engagements aren’t final until we smooth things over with Kilma,”

“Then, at the end of the day,” she said, looking towards the door. “Be prepared for no one to be happy…” The prince’s expressions hardened, knowing how small their chances were at this point. But, Mozu knew the both of them well enough to know that they wouldn’t let a stubborn mule get in the way. Flora glanced back, her eyes staring directly at Mozu’s. “You look different,” she said, making her jump. “You don’t look like royalty,”

Well that came out of nowhere. “Th-that obvious, huh?” She frowned, knowing how her freckles and plain, dark hair gave her away all too easy.

“Where are you from?”

“A-ah, Hoshido. A small village that used to be near the border,”

“So a commoner.” Mozu nodded.

Xander narrowed his eyes. “Is this a problem for you?”

“Not at all, Milord. I know my father may be slightly untrusting towards the royals, but…Your perspective just might be the one to make him listen.” Mozu felt all eyes on her and had never been more aware of her posture. She sat up straight, putting her hands on the arms of the chair before deeming it best to lay them in her lap. Her hand reached up to scratch her cheek as she listened to her own heartbeat.

“B-but I’ve never d-done something l-like this before…I’m not good with words,”

“You ought to learn,” Leo said. “You’re going to be queen of Nohr,”

“Don’t you worry,” Xander said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “You aren’t in this alone and you’ll never have to do it alone.” Though the saying was simple, she knew that it was his way of showing her that he would never leave. It was the extent of affection Xander would show among others, but it was enough for her. She should probably stop grinning though.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Flora said, pushing herself off the wall and standing straight. “And I’ll tell your retainers were the banquet hall is at,”

“Are you joining us for dinner?” Xander asked,

“Hmm. No,” she said putting her hand on the door knob. “It’s between you and Father anyway.” Without another word, Flora excused herself and left the four of them alone.

With not a moment to waste, Leo set his written proposals on the table to begin working immediately. They began with a quick lesson in diplomacy. Step one, as Xander had said, was to always know what the other party is after. “The Ice Tribe,” he continued, “Definitely wants to cut off our water supply as much as they can. We can afford a loss since Hoshido will be bringing us spring water,”

“But,” Leo said, “you must always know the big picture as well. What Kilma wants is prosperity for his own people. He prioritizes them over Nohr, despite being only a single tribe,”

“And as a ruler,” Xander said, “you must always prioritize your people, no matter if you are a mayor of a hamlet or a chieftain such as Kilma.” Mozu nodded, trying to soak in the information to the best of her ability.

Leo and Xander brought both Hoshidans up to speed with their proposals, detailing the quantities of each item. Such numbers seemed abnormally large, especially the amount of water that Nohr needed, but she soon remembered that such resources had to distribute among the entire kingdom. Sakura piped in with suggestions of different grains that they would be importing from Hoshido, but Leo advised them to keep such options limited. It was ill-advised to show Kilma every offer up front, not when even a shipment of rice could potentially turn the tide.

“Hey,” Mozu said with a smile. “If they ask what they could do with the ingredients, can I tell ‘em?” she asked, finding the potential chance to be useful.

“Hm, not a bad idea,” Xander said, smiling. “After all, you would know those grains better than anyone,”

“Sure do! I planted ‘em myself,”

“Hey, that’s great,” Leo said. “You should say that. Would you be prepared to provide recipes? I know food is hard to come by in these lands,”

“Sure,” she said, her expression beaming. The tension in the room lightened with the possibility of actually succeeding. Unlike the royals who only knew the basic uses for many of these items, Mozu actually cut them from the earth with her hands. If Kilma didn’t like royals, then maybe he would like paupers. She would say or do anything if it meant bringing her one step closer to becoming a better queen. Leo’s next bit of advice, “Sell what you know,” seem to fit her to a tee.

She would do it, she would do all she could to help the tribe with her own two hands. In turn, they would be grateful, wouldn’t they? If anything, she would also do it to see the hint of pride in Xander’s eyes as she engaged in the conversation. _Just you wait_ , she thought as they exchanged glances. _I’ll talk their socks off_.

In a way, his expression seemed to reply, _I know_.

Mozu had so many possibilities running through her head. Even without knowing all of the information she did, she still had the advantage that she was a commoner. Leo told her to appeal to Kilma that way, to show her calloused palms, to relate how she would work in the fields. At first, she wasn’t sure if it was really a good idea to blab about her lack of status, especially when she was marrying the crown prince. Maybe, just maybe, in this context, it was welcome.

 _I can do this_ , she thought. _I can do this!_

Soon, it became time for them to leave. Leo packed their papers as they stood, Mozu taking deep breaths. A mix of adrenaline and anxiety coursed through her when she opened her eyes, forcing herself to take a step forward. Sakura passed her, a soft smile on her lips. Her expression resembled the one from last night as they talked about following Mikoto’s example. Mozu wouldn’t forget it.

She followed the royals and retainers out of the meeting room and down the hall to the banquet hall. There, two other mages were standing guard and allowed them entrance. The hall itself was wide and spacious, with stretching tables and chairs set like pews. They all faced the back wall, which had an elevated platform that housed another table. Mozu looked up and noticed a second floor balcony that sat on the edges, overlooking the hall below. Sitting at said table in its center was Kilma with Felicia to his right hand side. Along the perimeter of the hall were guards of all shapes and classes, standing as still as statues. Not even Garon had this many guards in his study, but, Mozu chalked it up to cultural differences. Or maybe just the fact that Kilma had some disdain for them.

Kilma stood from his chair, extending his arms. “Welcome,” he said, his voice echoing throughout the room, “Please, sit. Dinner will be out soon.” The main four took the table up front, facing Kilma and Felicia directly as their retainers took the seats behind them.

Xander cleared his throat as the chieftain sat down. “Lord Kilma,” he started, “We would like to thank you earnestly for having us,”

“Think nothing of it,” he said, folding his hand on the table, “what would the alternative be? I couldn’t very well leave you to the frostbite of the snow.”

Though she forced herself to laugh with the others, Mozu had the sinking suspicion that it wasn’t a joke. “I understand that you eat fine roasted pig in the dining rooms of Krakenburg, is this so?”

“Indeed,” Leo said,

“Here in the tribe, we eat not as lavish, but I hope our humble take on the creature is to your liking.” Leo’s eyes narrowed at the comment as the doors opened. Instead of the properly dressed butlers and maids she was used to seeing, the few servants that carried in the food wore the simple clothes of the peasants. Also unlike the butlers and maids, they served their plates without so much as a smile. They removed the trays to reveal a modest meal before them: a single slab of roasted pork next to a dinner roll. Instead of wine, they were served crystal-clear water of the likes that Mozu had only seen in Hoshido. Looking around, the others’ reactions to their plates were neutral, even a little skeptical. Not that they could help it; food must be quite hard to come by in the frozen lands.

“Thank you,” Leo said, raising his glass. “Here’s to our continued friendship between our people.”

Following suit, everyone raised their glasses as well, including Felicia. However, Kilma took his time, keeping his eyes on Leo as he reached for his glass finally. “…A nice sentiment,” he said, raising his finally. Everyone took a sip of their water, Mozu wincing upon realizing how cold it was. Then again, its pure, melted ice taste was quite refreshing. “Lord Leo,” he said, “I’m dying to hear the story.”

“Oh,” he said, setting his glass down, clearing his throat. “It’s quite a long one.” Sakura stopped cutting her food to listen. “You see, this is Princess Sakura of Hoshido.” Felicia and Kilma turned their eyes to her, causing her to cast her head down, popping a piece of pork in her mouth.

“Is that so? Garon told me that Lord Xander was promised to Princess Sakura,”

“I was,” Xander said. “But the ways of the heart led both of us down different paths, I’m afraid.”

Kilma chuckled dryly as Felicia tilted her head to the side, her eyes glossy as she put her hands on her chest. At least someone from the tribe looked happy for them. “And tell me,” he continued, “Who is to be the future queen of Nohr?”

That’s when all eyes darted to Mozu who was just about to take a bite of her bread. She dropped the roll and wiped her fingers on her napkin, uttering a soft, “Uh,” before she spoke. “M-my name is I’m Mozu.” Oh shoot, that wasn’t right.

Kilma’s cold eyes pinched at her as he took another sip of water. Hm, he hadn’t taken a bite of his food at all, had he? Not that it was really flavorful. “And your title?”

“N-no title,” she said, a nervous laugh escaping as she scratched her cheek. “Just Mozu.”

He lounged back, resting his hands on the arms of his chair. “A commoner? I can hardly believe it,” he said, a sly smile curling on his face. “I suppose thanks are in order for your brother, Lord Xander. Without him, you wouldn’t be able to follow your own path.”

That statement sent a jolt down Mozu’s spine as she glanced up at Xander. His eyes flashed with quick shock, but he remained composed. “It’s not as simple as that…I assure you,”

“And Garon is allowing this?”

“Almost,” Xander said, “We have but one final test.” A sort of glint passed through Kilma’s eyes for a second, one that put a tight line on Mozu’s lips. He raised his fist to his face, resting it under his chin. It was almost like he knew that he himself was the final test. Something told her that despite knowing that, he wasn’t going to make it much easier.

Suddenly, Felicia’s voice cut the heavy silence. “I-I kinda think it’s sweet.” Kilma whipped his head around. “A-And this way, Flora can stay with us, Father.” Though her expression and voice were optimistic, Kilma’s frown seemed otherwise.

“Felicia,” he said, his voice tender, “It’s not quite as simple. After all…” He turned back to them, brows furrowed. “We did make a promise,”

“We understand,” Leo said, intercepting the conversation, “And we have spent a lot of time and thought on what was best for the Ice Tribe--,”

Kilma raised his voice. “You think you know what’s best for _my_ tribe?” Mozu set her utensils down, hiding her hands in her lap. His tone had stung the room with silence; Xander closed his jaw and grit his teeth as Leo stared him down. In just a quick exchange, the room had changed and it felt like bugs were crawling up her arms. “Pardon me, Milords, not even Windmire in the winter compares to the conditions we face,”

“We understand,” Xander said, a hint of caution in his tone, “And that is why we wish to help all we can,”

“Hah! You would help me plenty if you ceased on taking our water.”

Mozu sucked in her bottom lip, glancing aside to see Sakura staring at him in bewilderment. This wasn’t going well. Oh Gods, should she do something?

“Ceasing all together?” said Leo, “That’s madness! You know that every Nohrian city and town relies on it,”

“Oh, I understand,” Kilma said, bitterness hinting in his voice as he sat back. “We cannot always get what we want in a negotiation, can we, Lord Leo?”

Frustration wavered in Leo’s voice. “Lord Kilma, I suggest facing the facts. Nohr needs you and the tribe’s water supply just like you need the resources that we provide,”

“Do I?” he said, frowning deeply. “I have no need for weak men nor do I have need for seeds that cannot grow in the snow.” Weak men? Seeds that don’t grow? No way, there had to be more to this history than Mozu or Sakura thought. Something was left out. “As for facing the facts, Milords? Here I am sitting before two Nohrian princes that refuse to make good on a promise made by their father.” Sakura gasped, putting her hands in front of her mouth to silence herself. “How typically Nohrian of you to take whatever you want with no give!”

Slamming their hands on the table, Xander and Leo stood in haste, anger setting into their eyes and features. “Lord Kilma!” Xander boomed. “Cease these accusations at once!”

He stood as well as Felicia shrunk back in her chair, glancing between her father and the Nohrians. “Accusations? I speak the truth!” he said, his voice also rising. “Whether you princes see it or not, it has always been this way! From your father to his father and to his!”

Leo and Xander couldn’t keep the shock away from their faces as Mozu stood hurriedly, looking back at the retainers who had done so too. They made eye contact with the various guards around the perimeter who had begun to inch closer. “But worry not,” Kilma said, gaining her attention again, “I’ll repay you with the same attitude,” he said, snapping his fingers.

A frantic Laslow shouted, “Go, go!” to the other retainers as they dashed to surround the royals. In that moment, footsteps flurried inside as the top balcony lined with archers. A ghastly scream left Sakura’s voice as they readied their arrows, tips pointed straight at them.

“Kilma!” Leo shouted, standing in front of Sakura to shield her, “Stop this madness at once!”

“And this time,” Kilma shouted, “I’ll take what _I_ wish! Bring me their heads!”

Mozu felt her heart stop the second those arrows started to fly towards them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I like to meme my own chapters....  
> https://youtu.be/5Zoeah3QIqk?t=7s
> 
> Okay okay I'm done UNTIL NEXT TIME, HOMIES


	20. Hearts of Ice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mhmm. I am. Sorry in advance. OR maybe I'm not. Anyway, I had caffeine which I am sensitive to so in my rage, I channeled it into finishing this chapter. A lot happens, so, maybe not the best idea BUT OH WELL. Hope ya like it anyway!

**Hearts of Ice**

 

 _It wasn’t supposed to end like this_ , she suddenly thought as she stared down the pointed tips coming straight for her. _I was supposed to do something. I was supposed to be…diplomatic_. _I was supposed to try!_ Mozu thought how terrible that would be, to end her life on such a pathetic note.

“Freeze!” Before the gasp could leave her throat, a flurry of icy blasts filled the room, encasing the arrows just before they met their marks. Bursting into tiny particles of snow, Mozu watched with her jaw agape as Flora pushed through the line of archers and leapt from the balcony onto the lower floor.

“Flora!” roared her father. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Run,” she said, not breaking eye contact with Kilma.

“Are you ignoring me?!”

“I said RUN!”

No one had to be told twice. The retainers circled around the royals as the guards from the perimeter closed in with battle cries. No one had their weapons on their person as they hadn’t expected an ambush at a peace talk. Mozu had to watch as the retainers engaged in hand to hand combat while simultaneously moving the group towards the door. Some were lucky enough to swipe the swords and axes away from their attackers, better able to protect themselves. The room filled with shouts and cries all the way until they reached the door, thankfully before the archers readied their next arrowed. Flora followed behind them, raising an ice wall on the door once they managed out. “It won’t hold for long, let’s move,”

“What the HELL was that!” Leo shouted, pointing to the door. “Is your father insane!?”

“Is now really the time?” she shouted back, already breaking into a sprint down the hall. Although everyone had that question on their mind, it would have to wait. With adrenaline still pumping through her veins, Mozu ran down the hall with the others, her mind thinking of nothing but survival right now. As they scurried down the halls towards the stables, she looked around her in case any other attacker jumped at them. Leo held Sakura’s hand as they ran, her free one holding up her cape. Laslow and Peri, being the only ones with swords, took to the front, ready to block and disarm anyone who tried.

At the entrance to the stables, there were two other mages who were keeping guard. They readied their tomes once they saw everyone coming, but Flora was prepared. She shot them both with bolts of ice, slowing their reactions down enough for Laslow and Peri to knock them unconscious with a blunt blow to their heads. They heard the whinnying cries of the horses, causing the two princes to gasp. Once they pushed the door open, they saw some men tugging on the reins of the horses as they thrashed about.

“Algol!” Xander called as he dashed past Flora and his retainers. He readied his fist and socked the nearest man square in the jaw as he fell to the floor. When the other on Algol let go of her reins to attack him, the horse reared up on her hind legs. Before Xander would have been hit, she stomped onto the man as audible cracks and screams escaped from him.

The two other man on Rasalas whipped their heads around at that instant, giving Leo an opening. “Pathetic fools!” he said, raising his hand. “Come, Brynhildr!” The moment he called for it, the tome flew out of the pouch on Rasalas’s side and into the palm of his hand. Just as the two men began their charge, Leo waved his hand over the tome, gathering energy in his hand. He aimed the spell at their feet as a magic tree sprouted from his spell, ensnaring the both of them. Leo shut the book and took Sakura’s hand, running to calm his frightened horse.

“Shut the doors. Everyone,” Xander called, unsheathing Siegfried. “Secure your weapons and prepare to depart.” The retainers responded with an affirmative before doing as he said.

“And?” Leo asked, “Where are we going? Certainly not home,”

“There are a couple of abandoned fortresses in the field,” said Flora, gaining everyone’s attention. “I don’t know how much good it’d do you,”

“Tch.” Leo crossed his arms. “And why should we trust you? Your father is out for our damn heads!”

Suddenly, muffled shouts from the outside started to grow louder. “Do you have a choice?” she responded, brushing past him to ready a horse of her own. Leo grit his teeth for a moment before he shook his head.

“Sakura,” he said, taking her to the supplies that they brought. “I’d rather you not use this, but if it comes down to it…” He reached in for a wide box of polished wood, clicking it open. Inside was a golden bow that shone with light, intricate designs carved into it. Its full quiver was white and shaped in a curve with golden markings and arrows imbued with the same golden light.

“Wh-what is this?” she gasped as he handed it to her.

“It’s a Shining Bow,” Leo said, briefly glancing to the door once the footsteps started to grow louder. “Meaning, it has magical properties.”

She gripped the bow in her hands, feeling the same rush of energy that she did when she used the Fire Tome. Sakura had no clue that such an item existed in Nohr; it had to be rare and complicated to make. “I-I don’t know what to say…”

A bang at the door made her gasp as Leo glared. “Not now. C’mon!” She followed him, slinging the quiver around her shoulders to mount Rasalas.

As Mozu mounted Algol with Xander, Peri and Laslow pulled up next to them on Peri’s mount. “Milady,” said Laslow, turning her to him. He handed her a bow of steel ridges with a bright red finish and a quiver to match. “Your weapon of choice, if I recall.” She looked over the bow’s intimidating scarlet edges and pressed her finger gently on the arrows tips. Something told her that these shots were far more powerful than any old yumi she used to use.

“Xander,” said Leo as they readied at the exit. “We’ll follow your command.” The sounds of wood splintering at the door indicated that their time was running short.

“Right. Flora,” he said. “Lead the way. Quickly!”

Just as Flora’s horse broke into a gallop, the back doors flung open. Algol, Rasalas, and the other retainers’ horses hurried with the tribalists on their tails and plunged themselves onto the white field. The icy wind beat on their cheeks, stinging from the speed of the horses. After securing the quiver around her shoulder, Mozu lifted her free arm over her face to look back. She squinted her eyes until figures formed behind the wind’s veil, growing larger and larger. Two figures turned into two horses with dark riders and then two riders turned into four. “Xander!” she shouted, and he looked back.

“Dammit!” shouted Leo as he did the same. “They have Dark Knights!” Coming up fast were the dark riders she had seen, carrying nothing but the armor on their backs and tomes in their hands. One led the group, hand raised and ready for an attack. She counted five in total.

Xander’s commanding voice called above the sounds of the horses and wind. “Make a hard right! Cover your flanks!” Mozu steeled herself for the sharp turn, watching as the formation changed. At this point, it seemed like they would impact in a matter of second. “Mages!” As Xander lifted his hand, Leo, Flora, and Odin lifted their tomes, readying their spells. He lowered his hand with a loud “Now!” as all three fired their different spells. From Odin, a crackle of yellow lightning surged past them, hitting one of the knights square in the chest. Flora’s ice spell froze another knight before he could fire his own spell. One of the knights tossed their own ice spell right back, grazing past Leo and Sakura. The princess yelled as Rasalas suddenly jumped out of the way. Leo was still able to cast his spell and the knight that Odin had hit became ensnared in Bryhnhildr’s branches.

Charlotte and Benny were the closest to the leading Dark Knight, and as Xander gave his command, he had also readied an ice spell. Benny lifted his large shield to block the beam as Charlotte lifted her axe. “You brute!” she cried, swinging it just over Benny’s head hitting the knight square in the chest, causing him to fall off his horse. The party broke through the lines of the remaining three, sharply turning around to face them. Coming towards them, a knight was in front of Xander and Mozu, lifting his hand for a spell. Before he could cast it, Peri and Laslow strode behind him. Peri lifted her sword and with a cry, she sliced a cut through the black armor. The knight howled in pain as his ice spell shot towards the sky instead of at them.

Xander lifted Siegfried as he neared the knight and with a precise cut to the side, he sliced the armor open leaving a deep gash. Mozu whipped her head around as she watched the knight fall off his horse, screaming as he held his wounds. His shout meant he was alive and she thought if it would have been easier to kill him. Not that she wanted death in the first place.

With the other two knights left chasing them once more, the party resumed towards the fortress, getting a head start as Flora blocked off the knights with a temporary ice wall. In a matter of minutes, they were on their tails again, firing ice spells to and fro. “There it is!” shouted Flora as the wind veil began to give form to a tall fortress in the distance. It enlarged with each second as they neared it. Mozu yelled as Xander swerved Algol to the side to avoid an ice spell. It grazed her cheek, its ice cold burning worse than fire. She couldn’t imagine what would have happened if it hit her head on. Flora turned back with another spell, this time, sending a harrowing blizzard to encumber one of them. The knight stopped in his tracks before the blizzard threw him off his horse. Now, there was only one left, the furthest away.

“Archers!” Xander called. “Aim!” The command jolted Mozu out of her thoughts as she glanced to Sakura briefly, noticing past her how Niles readied his bow. She nodded to the princess who returned the gesture before they both drew arrows from their quivers to load their bows. Mozu had never shot an arrow from a moving horse, much less a galloping one at that. She factored in the strength of the wind, aiming for the hand that held his tome. Having never shot another human being, she was more than happy to follow Xander’s example to not deal mortal wounds. “Fire!”

Mozu let the arrow fly from her hand as she watched all three of them arc towards him. Her arrow had knocked the tome away from his hand as Sakura’s arrow shot right into his knee. Niles’s arrow lodged itself through the knight’s hand and the force of all three tossed him off his horse. She swallowed a large breath of air to calm her charged blood as she stared at the knight lying unconscious on the ground, her arrow not far off. She used her free hand to hang onto Xander as the gallops slowed into canters. Even he took hasty breaths when they slowed, his adrenaline dying down as they reached the front entrance of the fortress. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice slightly hoarse from shouting, but still tender.

“I-I’m fine.” Looking around, everyone had to hold their chests or rub their heads to take a breather. Gods, it now just all occurred to her what just happened. One second they were in front of Kilma, narrowly escaping death thanks to Flora. After that, they had no respite and had to flee immediately. Now, they had ended up here in front of this fortress, their next step unkown.

“This way,” Flora said, leading the party, “the stables are back here,”

“Why does the tribe have this?” Leo asked. “It’s not as if they make war, do they?”

“These are old,” she said, looking up at the stone walls, covered in frost and snow. “Back before there was a tribe, when mountain folk lived and fought amongst themselves,”

“Quite impressive,” Xander said, “for being dated,”

“That’s Nohr in general, isn’t it?” she said, turning her head back as they neared the gates to the stables. “Ahead of its time in terms of architecture and technology. Too bad we lack the resources to make much use of it.”

At the gates, everyone descended from their mounts as couple of the retainers walked to the wooden doors, putting their hands on them. They shoved once, together, without much of a budge. “Geeze!” said Charlotte. “Is the lock frozen shut or something?”

“Perhaps,” replied Flora. Xander sighed and put his hands on the door too.

“On my mark. One…two…three!” At that moment, the sound of a large crack startled them as the door pushed open. Once it did, a cloud of gray dust flew into their faces, causing those by the door to cover their mouths as they coughed. Flora covered her face, waving her arm to clear the cloud. Inside, the stables were lit only with the fading light from the outside, smelling of mildew and rot. The dust particles scattered about in the light as the party led the horses in, looking around. “Let’s leave the horses here for now,” he said, “Flora, what does this fortress have?”

“Same as any other, I expect. Barracks, a mess hall. Private rooms for the officers and meetings rooms,”

“Okay. Retainers,” he said, voice returning to a commanding tone. Every retainer stood up straight with their hands behind their backs. “Try to get this fortress functional. Find what resources we have and don’t have. I doubt there’s food, so perhaps a hunting party is in order,”

“Yes, Milord.”

“And for us?” Leo asked.

“Let’s go sit and figure out our next move…if there is one.” Flora turned around to lead them inside as Xander and Leo followed. Mozu was about to do the same until she turned around and saw Sakura falling behind. Her bottom lip trembled as she took meek steps forward, rubbing her own hands.

“Hey,” she said, gaining the princess’s attention. “What’s wrong?” She put her hand on her shoulder and walked beside her inside.

“I’m just…” Mozu frowned, knowing how she must have felt without her even saying anything. Poor Sakura must have felt so afraid after almost being shot to death. She murmured under her breath as Mozu rubbed her back.

“I know. It was so fast,”

“I-I didn’t kn-know,” she held her arms, running her hands up and down her shoulders to warm herself or give her anxious hands something to do, “i-it was gonna b-be like this,”

“No one did.” She looked forward at the two princes’ backs, walking in silence with their backs straight in a firm gait. Her eyes narrowed, feeling something off from them both. They had to be in shock as well, and yet, they said or whispered nothing. Or perhaps this is how their brand of shock looked like.

“A-and th-then that knight…” Sakura’s voice quieted again, wavering. “I-I’ve never sh-shot s-someone b-before,”

“…Neither have I,” Mozu said, squeezing her shoulder. “B-but we had to…least we didn’t kill ‘em,”

“A-arrows are hard wounds.” Sakura lifted her head. “They are meant to pierce armor. Often, they can break inside.” Mozu knew that, having killed creatures three times her size with only a couple of shots. “I-If he doesn’t g-get medical attention s-soon, he c-could lose his leg…lose his hand…”

“Sakura.” She turned to her, seeing Mozu’s scowl. “He’s the enemy. He wanted to kill you,”

“I know, but...” In the corner of her head, she saw Leo tilt his head back. “I wish…I wish I didn’t have to shoot.”

 _I’m sure everyone else does too_ , Mozu thought as they continued to follow the others through the halls of the fortress. Its walls and floors were made of simple stone, with bits of frost seeping through the cracks. Some parts of the wall facing the outside were torn off, creating makeshift jagged windows. Snow whitened the edges of stone that stuck out, unprotected from any walls or roof. They maneuvered past a pile of snow that had come in from the broken roof, creating a column that extended past the roof.

Eventually, they reached a hall of rooms with a couple of different doors. Flora opened a few in trial and error, finding a couple of bedrooms, a weapons storage, and a library. Xander told her to keep the doors open for the retainers, and to let some air into them. “Maybe here?” she said, opening another. Finally, they had found a room with a stretching table and chairs, one suitable for a meeting. They held their breaths as they walked in, opening the windows to let in some fresh air instead of inhaling the dust.

“Okay, Xander,” said Leo, crossing his arms. “What’s our plan?”

He stood at the head of the table, palms flat on the wood as he spoke plainly. “Kilma has to be brought to justice,” he said. “Attempting to kill not one, but three members of the royal family? One of which is our ally? High treason in its definition.” Mozu shuddered at the familiar words, holding her shoulders.

“And what about her?” Leo asked, turning to Flora with cold eyes. She responded with the same gesture.

“What do you mean, Brother?”

“She’s his daughter. How do we know we can trust her?”

“L-Leo,” Sakura said, chastising. “Sh-she helped us!”

“She did rescue us,” Xander said.

“Still,” he said, keeping his eyes on her. “We don’t know why.”

Flora sighed, leaning against the wall. “I guess I can’t blame you for your mistrust, Lord Leo,” she said, bitterness in her voice. “The short answer is: I’m not an idiot,”

“…Could you elaborate?”

“It’s as you said. Daring to take the lives of three royals?” Mozu bit her cheek, feeling left out. “Especially if one of them is Princess Sakura,” she said, turning to her. “I don’t know what madness took my father to make him think that was a good idea,”

“Well,” Leo sighed, “If he succeeded, he would have severed relations for sure. The Ice Tribe is under Nohrian rule, ergo, the blame falls directly to Nohr,”

“Hoshido could have raged war over it,” Xander said, casting his gaze down.

“Yes,” Flora said, “but…I feel it’s more personal than that,”

“Either way,” Leo said, “how do you feel about going against your father? It would seem to him and many others that you would be a traitor yourself.”

Flora quieted, the room dropping in temperature by a couple of degrees as she stood still like a statue. Then, she spoke. “My father only holds the obligated love that you have for a child because it’s your own blood. He much prefers my younger twin, Felicia, for her skill.” The brothers exchanged glances as she continued. “He spends all of his free time doting on her and training her,”

“Hm,” Leo said. “So, he wishes Felicia to be chieftain, yes?”

“All but in name. I’m still the eldest, and by tradition, it should go to me.” With a dry, smile-less chuckle, she continued. “Why do you think he was so eager to offer his eldest to marry?”

“Suppose we butchered those plans,” Xander said, standing straight. “Did you oppose it?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Absolutely. Felicia is much too coddled to be chieftain. Her heart is far too warm and too sweet to handle the job. Not that I covet it, but…”

“I see,”

“Enough about that,” she said, shaking her head. “What will you do with my father?”

“It’s as Xander said,” said Leo, “we must bring him to justice.”

Sakura spoke up. “L-like a trial?”

Leo scoffed. “I think we’re past a trial at this point. An ambush at peace talks? A declaration of war if I ever heard of it.”

She gasped. “W-we’re going t-to war!?” Even Mozu’s heart accelerated.

“No, not officially we’re not,” Xander said. “Father told us to handle it ourselves, so we shall handle this ourselves,”

“No offense, Milords,” Flora gently pushed herself off the wall, “But do you really have the manpower to fight the tribe?”

“Depends,” Leo said, pinching his brows, “how many men follow your father,”

“Quite a bit,”

“It matters not,” Xander said. “Our goal is Kilma only.” Mozu bit her lip, realizing what their journey had turned into. They were supposed to be talking about peace and compromise, not fight. She turned to Sakura, whose silence spoke volumes. Though skeptical on how quickly the two princes adopted such a policy, she couldn’t stand idly by and forget what kind of job she came here to do.

“But then what?” Mozu asked, having spoken for the first time. All eyes turned to her.

“What do you mean?” asked Xander,

“So you get the chieftain and then what? What about the diplomacy?”

Leo let out a brief, sarcastic, “Hah.” “I think Kilma tossed diplomacy out the window when he tried to kill us, if you recall?”

Her brows narrowed. “I remember. But then you’ll leave the tribe without a chieftain, and we woulda done nothin’ for Nohr,”

“Obviously,” he replied, “but it’s too early to think about that,”

“She does have a point,” Xander said, crossing his arms. “Did you have something in mind?”

“W-Well…” She felt the pressure on her shoulders as she glanced around the room. If they left things, then wouldn’t Felicia become chieftain? But it was as Flora said; she wasn’t competent for it. She knew that Flora didn’t want to the job, but… “Flora?”

“Hm?”

“I…I guess you’re our best bet.” She stood up straighter. “W-would you be willing to take over? And to negotiate with us?”

Now all eyes fell on the sorceress, eagerly awaiting an answer. Nothing in her movements or features indicated any sort of shock at the question, but she simply turned to Mozu, giving her full attention. “Hmph.” She took a step forward. “That depends, Lady Mozu. Just because I saved you doesn’t mean our negotiations will be easy.” Mozu felt a lump in her throat. “That is, if you can defeat my father first,”

“You leave that to us,” Xander said.

“I figured. I’m not thrilled with the situation, but…” She sighed. “It is the best possible scenario,”

“Whew,” Mozu said. “Thank you--,”

“I will have some personal conditions of my own,” Flora said, “I’ll hold you to them,”

“M-me?”

“You will be Nohr’s future queen,” she said with a soft chuckle. “And I have a strange feeling that the remaining tribalists will sooner accept a commoner queen from Hoshido than a king.” The words resounded within Mozu, shaking her down her spine. She thought that Xander would have found it insulting. Looking over at him and his deep frown, it was hard to tell in this instance. Though, if Flora sought to use her lack of status as a weapon twice now, perhaps she should listen to that side of her more often.

“Then it is settled,” Xander said, commanding the room once more. “First, we devise a plan to catch Kilma, then after ridding of him, we will appoint Flora as chieftain.”

Flora nodded. “Just to be clear,” she said, “when you say ‘rid of,’ you mean…?”

Leo spoke. “We’re within jurisdiction to sentence Kilma to death.” A wavering glint passed through Flora’s eyes as she heard his words.

“…I understand,” she said, closing her eyes as she turned on her heel. “There can’t be much of another way…Lady Sakura,”

“Wh-wha?” she gasped,

“You’re shaking,”

“J-just…cold…” she said, still rubbing her shoulders up and down.

“We should get you by a fire. Wouldn’t want you freezing to death.” She nodded twice.

“You go along,” Xander said. “Leo and I will stay here and begin planning,”

“Sure,” Flora said, opening the door. “I wish you luck in that, Milords.” Mozu took Sakura by the shoulder to lead her out, glancing at the two of them before they exited. At any other occasion, perhaps the two of them could have left with cute words or wishes, but now was not the time. A simple nod and goodbye was all she could muster before she followed Flora out of the meeting room, closing the door.

Once out, she could see Sakura’s body trembling visibly even under all of her layers of clothing. “Oh…” She wrapped her arm around her shoulders as they walked, keeping her voice calm. “We’re almost to a fire,”

“I-It’s n-not…that…” Even her voice cracked. “Th-they talked a-about it s-so…casually,”

“About…?”

“K-k-killing him!” They all stopped, including Flora, who turned around with a skeptical look on her face. “H-he’s your f-f-father! A-are you sure y-you’re ok-kay with this?”

Her gaze turned icy as she put her hands on her hips, eyes looking like she could make Sakura drop frozen any second. “He is my father, you’re right. But right now, I have to think about the rest of the tribe. If you would have died, or Lord Xander, or Lord Leo, what do you think would have happened to our people? Our innocent people?” Sakura close her mouth. “Women and children slaughtered because my father took out his vengeance on his sons. I wasn’t going to let our tribe be destroyed like that.”

Such dedication to her tribe and people; perhaps Mozu ought to take a page out of Flora’s book.

“Though,” she said, the harshness in her voice slacking, “Even if everything works and I become chieftain, the road doesn’t end there.” She faced Mozu directly, causing her blink. “A Nohrian-appointed chieftain after the previous staged a rebellion? Certainly won’t do me any favors,”

“R-right…you think that they won’t like you?”

“A chieftain isn’t about being liked. It’s about being trusted. There will be those who will follow me, yes, but a majority of those loyal to my father will not. And that is why I need you, Lady Mozu,”

“Wh-what? Why me? I know you said it before, but…”

“I need you because the people of this tribe are sick and tired of dealing with Nohrians.” She glanced down, suddenly taking Mozu’s free hand. “You have worker’s hands under these gloves, don’t you?” She nodded once. “I think…I think the tribe will welcome the change, but only if you show your commitment,”

“I-I’ll do my very best. Nothing short of it,”

“And I want to believe those words,” she said, letting go of her hand. “It will take a lot of work to prove them to myself and the tribe.” Flora paused. “Especially if your future husband is the one to take our previous chieftain’s life.” Mozu shuddered, the image of Xander skewering Kilma on Siegfried flashing through her mind’s eyes. Sakura nudged closer into her touch. “…My apologies for getting off track. Let’s go find a fireplace.”

As Flora turned on her heel again, Sakura’s voice whispered to Mozu. “It…it kind of seems like…f-fighting will only m-make it worse,”

“I know,” she whispered back. “But, I dunno if we got a choice,”

“This never…never w-would happen in Hoshido.” She heard Flora mumble under her breath as they turned a corner.

Flora found the weapons rack first, picking out a Fire tome to take with her to another room. A simple, minimal lounging room had the fireplace that they sought, Flora lighting it with the tome. Sakura knelt before it with a sigh, rubbing her hands. Mozu’s old instincts as a handmaiden wanted to kick in as she found herself wanting to find a blanket or a coat for the princess. It was still hard for her to believe that she would soon outrank her after her wedding. Hm. Her wedding. Something she hadn’t thought about the last two days. Now was certainly not the time. As Flora explored the rest of the room, not needing the warmth, Mozu knelt beside Sakura to bask in the fire as well.

She found herself doubting the worth of this expedition as silence wrought through the room. It was a steep price for Xander and Leo to marry whom they wished, especially Xander. She feared for all of their lives if there was going to be a battle, but also for all of the cuts and bruises that they would walk away with. Would every nick be worth it? Every close call? Gods, when would it all stop?

The scurrying footsteps broke her away from her thoughts as all three women turned toward the door. She heard some excited laughs, from Odin no doubt, and stood up. “Wh-what’s going on?” Sakura asked as they hurried over, opening it. Walking past them were Odin and Laslow, their paces hasty as they headed toward the meeting room. The three watched them from down the hall as Odin knocked, bouncing in place.

“Odin, please,” Laslow said,

“I’m excited! Milords!”

Leo answered with a flat, “What.”

“Excuse us, Milords,” Laslow said. “There is something that calls to your attention,”

“Such as?” said Xander’s voice.

“Lemme tell them!” Odin laughed again. “We went out hunting. Then, we came back, and one of those mages after us had snuck in!”

“A what?” the princes said.

“Fear not,” Laslow said, putting his hand up. “Niles caught him. We’re waiting on your orders.”

“Hmm…” came Flora as the men passed them with the retainers leading. “Could be trouble.”

“Sh-should we go?” Sakura asked, looking at them.

“Up to you,” Mozu said. “But…I’m curious what’s going to happen.”

With that, they nodded once and followed. Down the stairs, in an wide open, empty, and secluded room, shouting could be heard from a voice they hadn’t recognized. Niles responded back with a calm, teasing tone, his words clearing as they grew closer. “Don’t be mad at me,” he said. “I’m just following orders,”

“You coward!” the mage yelled as the princes walked in. The women were far back enough for them to have not noticed them following; perhaps for the best. They stayed to the background, watching from a distance as they listened. With his bow loaded with an arrow, Niles stood behind the mage who knelt on the ground with his hands tied behind his back. He had a black eye and a single streak of red blood down his long, pointy face.

“Where did you find him?” Xander asked.

“Idiot tried to sneak in while we were coming back,” Niles said. “Must be one of the riders.”

“Hm, I see. Could be useful to us.” Xander said as Niles lowered his bow. “Leo?” Niles tossed Leo his signature tome and the prince waved his hand over it. Sakura held back as gasp as the branches of Brynhildr emerged from the ground, trapping the knight within its magic.

“Y-you think this scares me?!” he spat.

“We’re asking the questions now,” Leo said, a grave tone in his voice that neither girl had heard before. “Did you follow us? Are there others with you?”

“Any idjit on this side of the mountain knows where the fortresses are, ass!” Mozu felt Sakura’s hand squeeze hers. “And after what you and that traitor did, my comrades are gonna be in bed for weeks!”

Niles clicked his tongue as he circled the tree. “He’s being quite rude, Milords. Maybe after this, we’ll cut off his tongue.”

“Not now, Niles. Have you any idea why your chieftain attacked us?”

The knight broke into a fit of bellowing laughter, staring down the prince. “I got maybe a hundred! Looks to me like Lord Kilma was sick and tired of you Nohrian dogs just like the rest of us,”

“That part is obvious,” Xander said, “but we have done nothing but support the tribe from the beginning. It’s selfish of your chieftain to--,”

“Selfish? Selfish!” He laughed again. “Talk about selfish! You royals do nothing BUT take!”

“Ugh, can he do nothing but bark?” Leo said, waving his hand again. The branches started to crunch as a scream left the knight, coughing from the constriction. A shaky gasp left Sakura as she covered her mouth, keeping quiet. “I’ll ask you this. What is your chieftain up to?”

The knight spoke between heavy breaths. “Ain’t it obvious? He’s gonna show you what happens when you double cross us for decades. We had enough of it!”

Another agonizing scream left him as Leo’s hand tightened. “Either you start giving information or I crush you altogether!”

“Crush me then!” He took a large gulp of air, his voice hoarse from the constriction around his neck. “I got nothin’ to tell you except fuck Nohr! Fuck King Garon! And _fuck you_!”

Leo growled, anger seeping through his voice. “Be silent, wretch!”

Mozu knew it was coming now, the part where they would have to watch this knight be crushed to death. She shut her eyes even though she knew that she would have to hear it. She lifted her hands to cover her hears but a loud cry of “STOP!” caused her to look.

Sakura dashed from their side, the fastest she could manage, as her shout distracted everyone around her. “S-Sakura!” gasped Leo as she grabbed his arm. “What are you doing!?” His spell broke as the knight fell onto his knees, coughing and wheezing as she stood before him. “Get away from him!”

“This is wrong!” she cried as Mozu and Flora ran into the room.

Leo scowled at her, lividness in his eyes. “This is _wrong_? You heard what he said! He’s a traitor and deserves the full penalty!”

“You almost made the same mistake last time, you don’t listen!”

“Oh, I’ve heard enough, Sakura, and these are two different situations. That man behind you,” he said, pointing, “wants us all dead. _Your_ head on a pike!” She pressed her lips into a thin line, holding back whimpers as she trembled. “Be smart about this. Don’t chalk it up to ‘just following orders,’”

“But--!”

A scream left her throat as the knight stood up suddenly, clamping an armored arm around her neck, holding her face. He pulled a knife from his back pocket and held it to her cheek.

Everyone else had either gasped or shouted her name as they watched her body shake under his arm. Mozu desperately wanted to jump in and save her, but every scenario in her head ended up badly. Soft whimpers left Sakura as he spoke. “Thanks for that. If you don’t want to see her face all cut up,” and Leo made a face that could break glass, “then you’ll let me go.”

“Milord--,”

“Nobody. Move.” Leo’s voice took on a grave tone as the knight dragged Sakura to the side perimeter of the room. Her whimpers and gasps tugged at Mozu’s heart as she awkwardly shuffled to keep up with him. Her mind screamed a thousand profanities as everyone turned by centimeters to slowly watch them reach the doorway. Sakura said nothing, instead concentrating her pleading eyes on Leo even with the point of the knife indenting her cheek. Even Xander stood like a statue, gritting his teeth as he forced himself still. Moving only her eyes, Mozu glanced to the side to see Leo facing the knight straight on. Looking from the side, she could see his hand behind his back, gathering blue energy in his palm.

The knight laughed. “Did I scare you shitless, lil’ prince? I’ll be sure to tell Lord Kilma when I--.” The next sound he made was a blood-curdling choke when a large, jagged branch rose from the ground and impaled him through his chest to his shoulder. Sakura jumped away with another scream as the rest of the tree emerged, wrapping its branches around him. Leo pulled his hand back and in a second, the tree dragged the knight through the ground, sinking him into nothingness and leaving not a trace.

A collective sigh of relief spread throughout, but none such as deep as Leo’s. He dropped his arms and hurried to her side. “Oh, thank goodness,” he said with a soft gasp, wrapping his arms around her. She made no attempt to return the gesture. “You’re alright. Gods, you almost gave me a heart attack!” he said, pulling away and keeping his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t ever, EVER do that again!...Sakura?”

Her eyes hadn’t left the spot where the earth swallowed the knight. Her lips trembled as her once peachy complexion turned ashen. No muscle in her body was relaxed as he gently shook her once, saying her name again. “Y-you…” She barely moved her lips, her words barely audible. “You…killed him?”

Her question stung the room worse than the cold, not because of its truth, but because of her shock that it happened. Leo parted his lips but no words left him as his eyes looked dazed for a second. He narrowed his eyes, finding resolve again. “Of course I did. You could have died--,” he reached for her but she took a step back. Mozu saw Xander about to speak, but she put a hand on him, shaking her head.

“I didn’t…” She held her own hands, unable to make eye contact anymore.

Now Leo spoke with a soft, dejected tone. “Sakura--,” he reached for her again but she took another step back. A lump formed in Mozu’s throat, hearing the heartbreak in his voice. “Please--,”

“I just…” Sakura glanced around, feeling all eyes on her, but none hurt so much as the stare of Leo. Without another word, she took one last look at him, catching his pleading eyes before she turned on her heel. He closed his mouth as she took off, hiding her face behind her hands. Now, all eyes turned onto the prince, the silence as hard as glass. Once it broke, the effect was that of a hard, ringing shatter.

“Milord,” came Niles, tone indifferent.

Leo dropped his head into his palm, rubbing his eyes. “Have you found me a room?” His voice still wavered, but one could hear the effort he made to hide it.

“Yes, Milord,”

“Good. I…wish to be alone.” Leo looked only at the path ahead as Niles escorted him out. Once he had left, Mozu had only now noticed how tense her muscles had been since the very beginning. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to relax them, not after witnessing what happened with Sakura. She had never seen her so pale before, never heard such uneasy words. The shock of what just happened still wavered through Mozu, but, she could understand Leo’s lack of hesitance. Hell, she probably would have stuck a knife in the knight’s back if it meant rescuing Sakura as well. If it meant rescuing Xander. Of course, she says so now, but hypothetically killing someone and actually doing it are two different mindsets.

“…Should I go after her?” she asked, looking up at him.

“…No,” Xander answered. “This…whatever it is, is between them.” Mozu nodded once as he put his hand on her shoulder. “This is not how this day was supposed to go,” he said, leading her out of the room. With a deep frown, she leaned closer to him.

“I know,” she said, looking down at her feet. “I-I’m sorry…I shoulda spoke up more. B-before he got mad,”

“What? No, don’t blame yourself,” he said, stopping once they were in the hall. “He planned that ambush, he wanted us dead from the start.” She knew his words to be true, but it was harder forgiving herself. He noticed her downturned eyes and leaned over, tipping her head to kiss the top. “Get some food. Don’t go to bed without an empty stomach,”

“And you?” she asked, looking back up.

“I have to think. To plan,” he said, pulling away. “But, if you need me, please don’t hesitate…okay?” She nodded again. “Good. I shall see you later, hopefully.” With a soft wave, Mozu watched him pace down the hall. Even among the chaos, he still showed his affection. She still felt his warm kiss on her head, even after he was out of sight, and yet, doubt still plagued her. Doubt, doubt of what? She found herself ready to lay down her life should it come to it…surely it was the same for him. Her heart had been racing the entire day, wearing her out. She thought to get some food in her stomach even now she knew she wouldn’t taste anything. Whether it would help lull her to sleep or not was a different story.

* * *

Sakura shivered, sitting on the simple bed in the room she had to indefinitely call home. She stared outside at the moonlight, refusing to change into nightclothes, either from the aching cold or from her body’s inability to move on its own. She replayed the image over and over in her head, listening to her scream and the ugly noise he made. The red heightened itself in her mind’s eye, more so than the brilliant branches of Brynhildr. His Brynhildr. By now, she had come to terms with the necessity of his rescue, but, it was still hard to believe, to process.

 _Mother_ , she thought. _Have I made a mistake?_

No, no she had not. But, it was hard to imagine walking down the aisle to meet the gentle face of a killer. He was capable of not only killing, but being cruel. He must have tortured that count in a similar fashion, if not worse. That wasn’t the Leo she had fallen hard and fast for. She had fallen for the endlessly brilliant and eloquent prince that tutored her with such love for his kingdom. She had fallen for the man that played her a song from her home to show how just how much he admired her.

 _But you knew he was capable_. Now the image of Mozu’s red back seared in her memory, how the girl trembled and nearly cried during her healing, how she could barely walk. _His intentions were worse then_.

A knock awoke her from her thoughts with a quick inhale. Please don’t be… “It’s me,” said Leo. Sakura pinched her eyes and exhaled deeply. She turned her body on the bed, not moving from it.

“…Come in.” Leo strolled in with a fuzzy blanket underneath his arm.

He parted his lips, waiting to say something, but he took a while; longer than usual. “…I brought you this,” he said, presenting it to her. “I’m sure you’ll need it.” Sakura kept her pink lips tight, unsure _how_ to even look at him. He took her silence as her answer, and closed the door behind him, his tone serious as he tossed the blanket on the bed. “We need to talk.” Still, she had no words. “I _had_ to. I couldn’t risk it,”

“…That’s how it always is,” she said, finally speaking. “Couldn’t risk this, couldn’t risk that,”

“Believe me, it’s a burden I wish I didn’t have, but I do,” he said, putting his hand on his chest. “This is how I’ve always done things--,”

“Always?” Worry seeped into her voice as she slipped off the bed. “Always, really?”

“Sakura, in this kingdom, bloodshed is often inevitable. I prefer it done on my terms if it needs to be done at all!”

“…You’ve done it before,” she said, holding her arms. “You…you’ve killed before.” She waited for him to deny it, but his silence only confirmed her fear. “ _Why_?”

“What do you mean, ‘why’?” Frustration seeped into his voice as he clenched his fist. “What’s the alternative, asking nicely?”

“M-maybe!” she said. “In Hoshido--,”

“You do that in Hoshido?” He laughed dryly, as if it were a joke. “Someone starts an uprising and your mother asks them to stop?”

“W-well…k-kind of. It’s a little more--,”

“Of course,” he said, dropping his arms at his side, bitterness setting into his tone. “Because everything is so _perfect_ in Hoshido. Everyone _loves_ your queen unconditionally and there’s sunshine all year round.”

“Stop it,” she said, voice going low. “Stop talking about my home like that,”

“Your home has coddled you,” he said as she felt his words like daggers in her heart. “It blinds you from the way things are,”

“But it doesn’t have to be this way,” she said, a plea in her voice. She saw guilt waver through Leo’s eyes for a second, but it passed. Sakura put her hands on his arms, but the gesture seemed cold, as if she were trespassing. “You don’t have to do these things…”

“…Or what?” he said, looking down at her. “You could have _died_. What did you want me to do, Sakura?”

She pinched her brows together. “You…you didn’t have to torture him,” she said softly, voice close to cracking. “You didn’t have to provoke him, to do any of that.” She could see it clearly in her head what would have happened if they helped him instead. If they tried to understand his anger. If they just talked and found a way to coexist like they do in Hoshido.

Leo’s expression remained unchanged. “…I have to disagree.” He put his hands on hers, taking them away from him. “He would have met his end either way.” Her eyes watered as he pulled away, her lungs constricting and making it hard to breath. “This isn’t Hoshido, Sakura…this is Nohr. It's kill or be killed,”

“Leo…” He turned around, going towards the door. “Please, you're better than…” She felt her voice crack as a hot tear rolled down her cheek. Pain lodged in her throat as he put his hand on the knob, not making any attempt to listen.

“…I’m sorry,” he said. “Sakura, I would kill a thousand men to keep you safe, no matter if you come to hate me in the end.” She dropped her face in her hand, holding back the lump in her throat as he left, closing the door behind him. When he was gone, a sob escaped her throat as tears spilled from her eyes.

 _Please, Leo_ , she thought. _Please…don’t go further into the dark. Especially not for me!_

Leo returned to his room, slamming the door and letting his back fall onto it. Rubbing his face, he sunk to the floor, his hands running down his arms. He dug his nails into himself as he faced the wall in front of him. Gods. He would stay true to his word, but not even the pain of facing a thousand men would stack up against knowing the hatred she could feel for him.

_Then…what’s the point…_

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Mozu could not sleep. Either it was too cold or her thoughts kept her awake. She worried about Sakura, worried about Flora and everyone else. Worried about Xander. She had a clue what he was feeling, but she wanted to hear it from his own lips. Perhaps, maybe, her nerves would calm if she slipped next to him in bed. Indulge in some comfort in this bleak time. Putting her cape back on, she wrapped it around herself and took a candle, going down the hall. She had heard earlier where Xander was staying and she made her way to the same door. With a yawn, she knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” he called,

“Me,”

“Oh. Come in.” She made her way in, noticing his things tucked away in the corner as he stood by the window. He hadn’t changed out of the casual clothes that he wore under his armor yet, meaning he wasn’t planning on sleeping soon. Mozu set the candle on the desk, head tilting in concern. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“You look it too,” she said with a sigh. “Not that I blame ya,”

“Neither I to you,” he said, making his way to her. “This is quite the situation we’ve amassed.”

Guilt panged in her stomach. “Y-yeah…”

“Hm? What’s the matter?” She bit her lip as he reached a hand to her, cupping her cheek. Surprisingly, it was warm, or at least, warmer than her skin. “…Mozu?”

“Is this okay?” she asked. He lifted a brow, confused by the question. “I mean…” she sighed, “this is so…so…nuts. Is it…is it worth it?” The question had been plaguing her mind even before they reached the Ice Tribe. Back then, she was fearing that negotiations would have taken up to a couple of months, leaving them stressed each day with patience wearing thin. And now, she had to fear for their lives if such battles were going to take place. The anxiety of waiting for his answer set deep into the pit of her stomach, waiting for a negative reply.

Instead, Xander smiled. A dry chuckle left him, with some warmth to it. “What are you asking? Of course it is,” he said, holding both of her cheeks now. “Mozu, nothing, and I mean _nothing_ will ever be too much if it means being with you.” She swallowed thickly, trying to smile as his words warmed her heart. It was nice to hear them aloud.

“Y-yeah…you’re right,” she said, smiling back. “I’ll shoot of dozens of those books to keep you safe,”

“And I will shield you from anything that dares to harm you.” She chuckled at that. “It will be difficult, but we have a plan. Remember, we are still only dealing with a tribe.”

And somehow, the doubt returned. He was right, they were only dealing with a single tribe within their jurisdiction. It wasn’t as if they were going against an entire kingdom.

_I suppose thanks are in order for your brother, Lord Xander. Without him, you wouldn’t be able to follow your own path._

As she remembered such words, she saw the warm expression from Xander’s face fall into one of concern. “Mozu?” he asked, pushing some hair away. “What troubles you?”

“…N-no…well…” She took a deep breath, heart racing. “What if it was Hoshido?”

“…Pardon?”

“What if it was Hoshido?” she asked again, worry setting into her eyes. “What if Leo didn’t want to marry Sakura? We wouldn’t be dealin’ with the tribe, but…”

Xander stared with narrow eyes, realizing the meaning of her question. Mozu knew Queen Mikoto to be an understanding ruler, having nothing but the upmost patience while they negotiated, but even her patience could wear thin. Especially after Sakura had been officially handed over. But, who was to say that her or High Prince Ryoma would have taken the news with such understanding? With the treaty broken, Hoshido could have declared war. At the very least, it would have caused a splitting headache trying to renegotiate.

He was still silent.

“…Xander?” she asked. Breaking the silence felt like a stab as he pulled away, standing straight.

“Let’s not…concern ourselves with hypotheticals,”

“Wh-why not?” she said. “I want to know,”

“Why?”

“Because!” She pinched her brows. “You just said nothing would be too much. Well. Would Hoshido be too much?”

He pressed his lips into a thin line. “Mozu,” he said, “this is a difficult question. Thankfully, we never have to find out.”

Her blood boiled at the way he dodged it. The only reason he would is because it was hard to admit. “You could still answer it,”

Frustration hinted in his voice. “But for what?”

“Because, even if we never hafta find out, your answer should still be the same,”

“Hoshido and the Ice Tribe are in two different leagues,” he said, running his fingers through his hair.

“So you’ll risk one but not the other,”

“That’s not what I meant.” Now his eyes glared at her. “It’s a weighty decision. Here, I knew that my brother would be at my side fighting for his happiness as well. But in that scenario, who would support me?”

“I would.” He closed his mouth.

“…I know,” he said, shaking his head. “Gods, Mozu, you know how I feel about you, but this…” She bit her lip again. “I can’t…I can’t let Nohr suffer through my selfishness. This time, when I did choose it, it’s because I knew with certainty that I could handle whatever comes our way. The important things were already in place.” Important things like relations with Hoshido.

“I know,” she said, casting her head down. “I just thought that…”

“Whatever you’re thinking,” he said, voice calming, “it’s still true. It will always be true.”

“I-I get it…” She looked up at him, finding the look of longing within his eyes. Though it was strong, she wondered if it was as powerful as her own feelings. _Xander, do you care for me the same way I care for you?_ She wanted to ask. “I-It was a dumb question.”

“…Don’t say that,” he said. “It wasn’t--,”

“You couldn’t even answer it,” she said, taking a step back.

“Must I explain myself more?”

She paused. “Don’t need to.” She took a step towards the door, her heart sinking within her. Mozu stopped when his hand caught hers, stopping her in her tracks.

“Don’t go,” he said, begging in his voice. “Not like this…”

A lump formed in her chest as she pulled her hand away, his grasp not at all strong. “I-I’m fine,”

“Mozu--,”

“It’s okay.” She had the courage to turn to him. Once she saw the look in his eyes, guilt had struck her once more, lurching in her stomach. She wasn’t sure if she felt contempt for him or for her. Maybe both. “Goodnight.” She reached the door, but he took her hand again. Xander turned her and cupped her face, leaning in for a kiss.

Mozu stood still, not leaning toward him an inch. He stopped once he realized this, his eyes piercing hers as she trembled under her cape. _Don’t look at me like that_. Xander held her for a moment longer, not wanting to let her go until he did so, reluctantly. He turned around. “…Goodnight.”

She took that as her cue to leave. Mozu held her arms as she paced down the hall once she closed the door behind her, holding back tears. _Gods…gods! Why did I ask that?_

It only added to her fear that Xander did not love her as strongly as she did for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't that fun? I had fun! Such a fun and happy chapter!  
> Okay I'll stop.
> 
> Well, I'm making it up to you with that upcoming LeoSaku smut that I've been talking about on tumblr. Stay tuned for that.
> 
> As always, thanks for your constant support and love! It's what keeps me going~


	21. If It's For You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this took two weeks! Also another really hard chapter. However, it's one that I was really excited about writing. I hope you guys enjoy it...hehe... It might be a little fast but that may be 3 am me talking. Also when i reviewed it, there was a suspicious lack of typos meaning...I'm gonna have to read it again. SIGH.

**If It's For You**

 

No one could sleep. Half of it was the freezing temperature and half of it was the doubt. It was hard thinking about the words exchanged because there was validity in all of them, whether they wanted to accept it or not.

Mozu clung to her pillow, shivering as she tried to warm herself underneath the blanket. Her feet felt like icicles waiting to chip off and her shoulders couldn’t seem to thaw. Never before had she desperately wished to have someone to crawl into bed with, sharing warmth.

Xander. She hadn’t a clue what her words could have done. Why did she ask? Why couldn’t he answer?

Maybe she was too hard on him; Hoshido was in a different league than a tribe. She understood how sorely Nohr needed the other kingdom’s support, so why did it bother her so much? Perhaps, it was because he made no effort to try to entertain the idea. Even if he did, he still said nothing. She couldn’t bear the thought that she meant nothing to him in different circumstances.

She sat up, thinking to wake him at this hour to apologize. No. She couldn’t; there was nothing to apologize for. It was all so confusing. Mozu looked over at the night desk, staring at the diamond ring that she had set aside for bed. With an anxious shiver, she almost believed that she would have severed their engagement. No, of course not; she wouldn’t let it. They had gone through too much already, not counting the impending suffering from the tribe, to give up. Mozu lied back down, knowing that she intended to keep their promise until they exchanged vows, well into the future. It was so much easier thinking about the far future than it was thinking of now.

Yes, now was uncertain. She couldn’t stop imagining what would have happened if she had never brought the issue up in the first place and she kept going back and forth between justifying him and then herself.

Perhaps, for just a while, she would have to give them some space. She needed time to contemplate, to gather her thoughts, as did he most likely. It pained her to be in this strange transition, but, she had brought it upon them. They had to fix it now.

Like its night, the mountain’s morning was equally as freezing. Though the sun seeped through the windowsills, reflecting the dust particles, it brought no warmth to the fortress’s inhabitants. Mozu awoke at first light, her body heavy from lack of sleep. Her eyes kept closed with no energy to open them. Frost bit at her nose, hands, and feet, making her fear death if she stayed still any longer. Mozu sat up with a long groan, not letting the blanket fall from her shoulders. She thought if she should wash her face, but water at this temperature probably froze or felt just as icy; sounded like a hazard.

“Lady Mozu?” came a soft, strangely timid voice with a knock. It sounded like Charlotte, but without her usually upbeat and boisterous edge.

“C-Come in.” She was starting to warm after awakening, bouncing her knee underneath the cover to have some motion.

Charlotte opened the door, fully dressed but she lacked expression on her face, not even smiling. “Good morning…Lady Sakura asked me to check on you since you don’t have retainers.” Her eyes glanced to the side, toward the night table. “Yet.”

Mozu also faced the desk, noticing the ring sitting there alone. “Y-yeah, yet.”

They faced each other again and she found strain in Charlotte’s eyes, as if it were an effort to keep eye contact. After a half-minute of exchanged frowns, Charlotte turned half-face. “Well, if you’re up, then I guess I’m done here.” She put her hand on the knob before Mozu’s eyes widened.

“Wait!” she called, standing up from the bed. Charlotte hesitated for a second before lowering her hand, facing her again. “Ch-Charlotte, I…I need your advice,”

“Huh?” She lifted a brow.

“Yeah…” She glanced to the ring on the table again as Charlotte closed the door behind her. “Xander and I…we uh…” She wasn’t entirely sure what to call it. “W-we didn’t _fight_ , but…I said some things I don’t know if I should have,”

“Oh!” Charlotte gasped, clapping her hands together. “Sounds like a fight to me,” she said, her voice raising with a strange level of excitement.

“D-Does it? Oh gosh…” Mozu sat on the edge of the bed, her voice defeated. “Charlotte, what do I do?”

She looked up as Charlotte’s lips curled into a smile, her eyes lighting up. If Mozu were a little crazier, she could have sworn that she heard a tone of danger in her voice. “Don’t you worry! Just do _exactly_ as I say and--.”

Charlotte froze mid-sentence, her eyes catching Mozu’s downturned ones. The Hoshidan sat patiently, pleading and worry in her expression. She waited for her instructions, desperate to hear that there was hope of mending it quickly. And yet, Charlotte’s energy died as she closed her eyes and sighed out. Her arms went back to crossing, making her look smaller as she stood before Mozu. “Ch-Char--,”

“What did you say?” she asked, her voice calm and sober.

“I…I asked him what woulda happened if Leo and Sakura didn’t wanna marry. I asked him if he woulda dealt with Hoshido to stay with me,”

“You what!?” Mozu bit her lip. “You asked if he would have gone to war for you?”

“I-I didn’t think it woulda meant war, ya know! J-just maybe negotiations,”

“But war could have been a possibility?” Mozu nodded sheepishly. Charlotte put her fist underneath her chin, her eyes glancing down and to the side. “What…did he say?”

“Nothin’.” She cast her eyes towards the floor too. “He couldn’t answer it. I-I get why, but--,”

“Then why did you ask?”

“I…” She looked up, brows pinching together. “Wouldn’t you want to know that? If your fiancé was willing to do whatever it took to be together?”

“Yeah, but this is the crown prince we’re talking about.” She rolled her eyes. “If it were me, I wouldn’t be questioning things that _could_ happen. I’d just be thankful that I found someone like him.”

Of course she was thankful; she thanked the gods every day. But a part of that statement didn’t stick. “Not questioning? At all?” she asked, standing up.

“Well, when you end up with someone like Lord Xander or Lord Leo, I’d count my lucky stars and do everything to make them happy,”

“I get that, but,” Mozu tilted her head, “what about _your_ happiness?”

Charlotte paused, smiling as she faked a quick laugh. “What do you mean? I would be super happy! I just said that,”

“I know, but…” She took a step forward. “You and I are the same, yeah?”

“Uh…” She frowned, “I don’t follow,”

“You and I would do anything, _anything_ to be with the ones we love, yeah?” Slowly, Charlotte nodded. “So we deserve the same. Between me and Xander, I get that it would be different at times, but, I wanna know that he’d go really far to be with me too.” The fighter blinked in surprise, her eyes wide as something clicked.

“…I get it.” Charlotte sighed, twirling some of her golden locks around her finger. “You just want to make sure that you…uh...won’t get thrown under the carriage. Something like that…right?”

A smile crept on Mozu’s lips. “…Yeah.”

Charlotte let go of her hair, speaking with a calm tone once more. “That’s…pretty brave of you, Lady Mozu.” Her eyes widened too as Charlotte’s lips curled into a sneer. “I would’ve been so afraid to ask something like that, thinking it could’ve ruined things,”

“I think you would’ve.” Charlotte’s eyes widened. “You’re strong like that, Charlotte.”

She laughed a little, bringing some comfort to Mozu as well. “Hmm…thanks…” She shrugged. “Listen, I dunno if it was still a good or bad thing to ask, but--.”

Suddenly, thundering footsteps and loud shouts interrupted them, jolting their bodies to face the door. “Charlotte!” called Peri. The Fighter pulled the door open and stuck herself out.

“I’m here! What’s going on?”

Peri slowed to a stop, her brows furrowing with fire in her eye. “The tribe’s almost here, they’re comin’ fast!”

“They’re what!?” shouted Mozu and Charlotte.

“C’mon! We gotta get our orders!”

“I’ll be right there. Lady Mozu?”

“G-Go! I’ll dress and be right there.” Once Peri and Charlotte ran off, Mozu dressed as quickly as she could into her tunic, boots, and cape. Her eyes glanced to the ring on the nightstand, hesitating before she deemed it best to wear it under her glove. There was no telling what could happen with the fortress and she made a promise to not let go of it. She took the bow and quiver that Laslow had given her yesterday and dashed out of her room towards the lobby. On her way, she looked out towards the windows to the outside, seeing gray figures creeping towards them fast. The color drained from her skin as her heart raced, unable to bear the sight for a moment longer. She hurried along to the main foyer of the fortress where they all gathered, everyone on high alert.

“Everyone, settle!” shouted Xander to gain their attention. When she saw him, Mozu froze, trying not to aim his attention towards her. She noticed Sakura off in the back, trying the same thing, and subtly made her way next to her. “Who was keeping watch?”

“I was, Milord,” said Niles. “My apologies. They came suddenly with a snow storm,”

“Camouflage by blizzard,” Flora said, all eyes on her. “An old ambush technique. Few know how to wield it,”

“Hm,” Leo crossed his arms, “And those people would be?”

“Myself, my sister, and my father.” Her eyes narrowed as the princes exchanged glances.

Leo spoke first. “Could very well be Kilma,”

“I think so too. Flora, what defenses does this fortress have?”

“There’s an arrow ballista on the top,” she said. “And a magic orb,”

“Good. Odin and Niles will man the ballista and orb,” Xander said. “Leo, you and I to the frontlines. Behind us, I want Peri, Laslow, Charlotte, Benny, and Flora,”

“Yes, Milord,” said Flora. She glanced back behind her to Sakura and Mozu, who purposely kept silent. “And what about them?”

When Leo and Xander glanced towards them, Mozu and Sakura’s eyes instantly darted somewhere else. They kept their lips tight, awaiting the orders, unsure how comfortable they would be.

Xander paused. “…They can stay here,” he said. “Where it’s safest.”

That’s when the two lifted their heads, wearing baffled expressions towards the princes. Xander had turned around already, but Leo had hesitated for a second. When he met Sakura’s eyes, his frown deepened before he joined his brother. “To the horses, quickly!” Xander ordered, leading the retainers away as Odin and Niles dashed to the staircase to reach the top. Flora was the tail of the group, and she paused to look back at the two with a slight frown before she resumed following.

Mozu had taken a step forward, thinking to object, but it was no use. No words could come out. A bitter taste lingered on her tongue as she turned back to Sakura, her head cast down. Damn it all, Mozu knew that they were outmanned, but, were Xander and Leo dumb enough to leave them behind? Hmph, if Sakura had a rod with her, they would have reconsidered.

She heard the trampling noises of the horses’ steps as they ran from the stable towards the front of the fortress. Well. They were off. Sakura finally spoke, her voice timid and hard to hear. “S-so, what do we d-do now?”

“I dunno…” Her voice sounded bitter. “I ain’t stayin’ here to make lunch if that’s what they’re thinking,”

“I-I’m s-sure they didn’t—“

Muffled footsteps creaked on the floorboards a ways away. They could hear voices speak, but they were too far off to hear anything coherently. Mozu was on high-alert now, her legs ready to dash as strained to hear what direction they were coming from. They must have sent men ahead to take the fortress, thinking it would be empty. A thud of wood falling came from afar and just as Sakura was about to yelp in reflex, Mozu clamped a hand over her mouth. The princess held her breath as she was escorted towards the staircase, hiding behind it. Mozu felt her forehead heat up as she heard the footsteps walk into the main foyer. Crap, and they were just two people with ranged weapons. She could perhaps manage a hand-to-hand fight, but Sakura…

She craned her neck to peek through the bannisters, noticing a group of mages and fighters, totaling five in all. Too much for the both of them. They spoke quietly enough that she still couldn’t make out what they were saying. What to do, what to do…

Sakura tugged on her sleeve once, gaining her attention. She pointed to the ceiling above them and Mozu’s eyes looked up. There in the center of the ceiling, surrounded by cracked wood and barely hanging, was a simple chandelier with empty candles. It was black with steel frames; could easily crush someone. She looked at Sakura skeptically, to which the princess looked sheepishly away. Well. Best case scenario, these infiltrators can dodge and walk away with most of themselves. As quietly as she could, Mozu drew an arrow into her bow, slowly so as to not make a sound when the bowstring tightened. She aimed at the weak knot that held the chandelier to the ceiling, and when she found her aim to be true, she fired.

The arrow flew out of her hand and hit the knot straight on, creating a puncturing sound. The infiltrators turned their heads up with shock. “What was that?”

“Look out!” The chandelier shook and when she saw it snap from the ceiling, Mozu took Sakura’s hand and hopped over the bannister. She had to hoist the princess over as it fell towards them. A few dodged but when it crashed down, she heard the sounds of bone snapping and a blood-curdling cry. Even as the guilt weighed in on her, she had to keep running.

“Hey!” shouted one of the fighters. “Over there! Get them!” When she heard them chase after, she glanced back to count how many. Two fighters and one mage. Shit, how was she supposed to get them out of this?

“Mozu!” Sakura cried as an ice spell whizzed past them.

“Whoa!” Thankfully the narrow corridor that led to the stairs was right by them. She swerved to run inside and then she slowed, drawing another arrow into her bow. “Keep goin’!” she told Sakura as they neared. _Gods, give me something to aim at_ , she thought as she followed her with her arrow pointing to the doorway. _Don’t make me shoot them…aha!_ Her eyes glanced up at the broken ceiling piece that had let in a ton of snow. It seemed that the retainers yesterday had raised a tarp underneath to clear the stairwell. Once she heard them turn the corner, Mozu shot once. Not enough. She shot twice and tore the fabric open.

When they reached the doorway, a huge pile of snow had fallen and obstructed their way. She heard angry shouts as they began pushing through it. It would give them time, but not a lot. Mozu ran up the stairwell and met Sakura at the top, the both of them hunching over with their hands on their knees. They took in large gulps of air to regain their breath before loud shouting had disrupted them. “Up there!”

With a loud groan, Mozu gestured for Sakura to follow her. Right now, the best thing would be to find Odin or Niles. From this position, the ballista was closest, so Niles it was. She looked back and only one fighter had deigned to follow. No doubt the others were focusing on the rest of the fortress. He was far away, but they still had to move quick as they ran up another flight of stairs, feeling the cold air from above. A ladder to the open space lied on the wall in front of them. She pushed Sakura up the ladder first before following.

“C’mon!” Mozu cried as she helped Sakura lift herself onto the roof. She still heard the shouts of the remaining tribalist as he started at the ladder. Clutching the princess’s hand, Mozu brought her away from the hole, looking ahead towards the ballista and Niles working behind it.

“Niles!” she shouted as he fired another round, shaking the ground below them. He whipped his head around.

“Miladies! What are you doing up here?”

“Th-they got into the fortress!” she said, “One is still after—,”

Niles’s eye bulged as he glanced behind them. “Behind you!” Mozu turned on her heel just in time to see the fighter standing behind Sakura, axe raised. In the next second, she tackled Sakura to the side to avoid the attack, shielding her as well when they fell. Niles jumped back to avoid the swing of the axe as its blade hit the stone ground, a shrilling cry echoing from it. Mozu lifted her head with Sakura as Niles reached back for his bow. _No_! she thought. _By the time the man swings again, Niles would_ —

Then they all heard the shrill cry of a wyvern. It descended so fast that it brought with it a mighty wind, and in the next moment, it had snatched the tribalist in its claws. She looked up at the dark blur as the tribalist cried out, tossed away like a doll off the side of the fortress. The wyvern slowed and kept its height at their eye-level, and that’s when Mozu noticed its rider. Camilla sat at the front, her purple tresses bouncing with the flapping of her wyvern’s wings. The axe in her hand was long, ornate, and silver with the Nohrian crest embedded into it. She wore a confident smirk as Niles lowered his bow.

“Lady Camilla! Aren’t you a sight for a sore eye!”

“Goodness, I knew that you would need me,” she said, “But not this bad!” Mozu and Sakura stood in a hurry, rushing towards the edge to better meet the elder princess. “Good day, darlings! Did you miss me?”

“H-how, why are you here?!” asked Sakura.

“What can I say? My intuition is never wrong! Now hop on both of you!”

“Huh?” called Mozu. “But what about the ones in--,”

“You go,” Niles said. “Odin and I will take care of them, Miladies.”

Mozu and Sakura exchanged nods. They had to get into the battle now. Mozu took a running start and jumped onto the back of the wyvern behind Camilla. Sakura followed suit, her hands hanging onto Mozu’s shoulders.

Camilla began the descent towards the ground as the two overlooked the battle. More retainers had joined in the fight, ones they hadn’t met before. There was another wyvern with two riders on its back. The one with long, red twin-tails jumped down when she was close to the ground. Behind her were two others: a blond man in a bright outfit with a throwing axe, and a woman covered in pink, bulky armor. They recognized Elise riding beside them on her horse, slowing it down as she looked up.

“Camillaaa!” she yelled, waving her hand. She had the same outfit as before, but with added golden armor and decorations.

Once the wyvern reached the ground, Camilla spoke. “Good! You made it,”

“Of course I did!” she said with a giggle, looking at the Hoshidans on the wyvern. “Gosh, I didn’t know there would be a huge battle like this!”

“Good thing we came prepared,” said Camilla as she looked back to Sakura. “See, darling? I brought you a friend.” Sakura looked between the two sisters before she nodded and descended, going to Elise’s horse.

“Awesome!” Elise said as the Hoshidan mounted behind her. “Hey, you can heal, right? Think you can use staves?”

“U-uh, m-maybe--,”

“Cool! Take this one,” Sakura blinked as Elise handed her an intricate looking staff, beautifully carved with a jewel on the top. She looked it up and down, holding it tight in her hands as she concentrated. A small shine sparked in the center jewel.

“O-Okay!”

“Yeeah! Let’s go!” Elise spurred her horse into a gallop and off they went into the fray. Mozu thought to worry about Sakura before Camilla spoke again.

“I hope you’re good with that bow,” she said, looking forward. “I need someone to fend off those pesky arrows that could really hurt Marzia. Think you can do it?”

Her brows furrowed and she gave a firm nod. “Absolutely!”

“Good! Where are my brothers, do you know?”

“U-Uh…the front,” Mozu said, unable to see either from here. Camilla spurred Marzia and the wyvern shot into the air, flying straight up until it reached a good height. As Mozu loaded an arrow into her bow, Camilla spoke over the wind.

“Strange! Why aren’t you with my brother?”

Crap, of course she would ask that in the middle of it. Mozu rolled her shoulders, looking down at the battlefield below them. There were more tribalists than she thought, the retainers all spread out in the middle of the fray. They lived up to their titles as royal bodyguards, swiftly able to juggle three or even four enemies at once. However, Xander and Leo were yet to be spotted. “Told me to stay behind,” she said, scanning below her for any potential threats. “’S fine. Figured we might need some space,”

“Some space? Down there!” Mozu nearly fell off the wyvern as Camilla swerved to the side, giving her a clear shot. She steeled her muscles and found the archer below them. Before he could fire, Mozu shot the bow out of his hand, hearing him shout in pain. “Ahaha! That was impressive!”

“Th-thanks!”

“Keep it up, just like that! Now,” She continued on the path they were going. “What happened between you two?”

Mozu groaned as she loaded another arrow. “I was…I don’t know what I was, but I was doubtin’.” She caught a pair of archers aiming for wyvern below. “I asked him what woulda happened if Leo didn’t wanna marry Sakura,”

“Oh?” She paused as her arrow flew, knocking one over that hit the other, falling like dominos. “Meaning Xander would have to break his deal with Hoshido?”

“Yeeeup.” She whipped her head around, seeing an arrow arch towards them. “Go left!” Camilla tugged on the reins as the arrow flew past, missing their cheeks.

“Well?” Marzia began her descent, lowering towards the ground. “What did he say?”

“He couldn’t answer.” Her eyes narrowed as her heart sunk, definitely not enjoying explaining herself a second time. “And…I just left,”

“Oh, darling,” she said, pulling on the reins to keep her wyvern at their elevation. “Honestly, I can’t blame either of you,”

“Y-you can’t?”

“No. Look alive, we have a couple of them headed towards us.” Mozu lifted her head and bow, readying another arrow. “It’s good to keep him on his toes, but Xander has always been loyal to Nohr.” It was hard to listen to Camilla’s advice as she lifted her axe with one hand. Before she continued, Mozu shot an arrow towards one of the mages aiming at them, knocking the tome out of their hand. The archers couldn’t load their arrows fast enough before Camilla swung her axe. She heard the sounds of armor clanking together as they bashed into each other, falling into the snow with loud groans of pain. Mozu looked back, amazed at how easily she had knocked them down before her voice gained her attention again. “He takes his title as crown prince very seriously,”

“I get that. I admire it, even!” she said as they kept on going. “But if we’re gonna marry, he’s gotta be a husband too!”

Camilla laughed, her voice filled with warmth despite them being in the middle of a warzone. “Oh, I knew I was gonna like you,” she said, lifting higher. “Look.”

Mozu did as she said and leaned over to look below her to the very front lines, furthest away from the fortress. Enemies swarmed around two figures in general who were too far apart to assist one another. One she recognized as Leo, with the way trees sprouted and swallowed every second, groups of rocks harrowing down his opponents. The other figure wasn’t as conspicuous, other than the dark, purple strikes of energy that knocked back his foes. As they grew closer, Mozu narrowed her eyes and recognized Xander, swinging Siegfried around to anyone that came too close. Instantly, her heart filled with worry and she had forgotten their argument for a second, wanting to jump down right now.

“You posed a hard question, Mozu,” said Camilla. “It might have frightened you, but it’s good that it did,”

“H-Huh?”

“When you finally talk it out, you’ll have a stronger bond, but only if you both will it,” she said as they began their descent. “Don’t forget that this battle is for you as well, and he is fighting it.”

Mozu watched him lift his sword over his head as Algol reared up on her hind legs. He struck down the knight beside him but behind him, an ice spell hit him in his side. Hearing his quick cry of pain made her heart sink. He recovered, blasting the mage with an energy bolt from his sword, but Mozu knew that he wasn’t completely resilient. Yes, he was fighting this battle for her as well; he always had been. He fought his father for her and risked so much. If he didn’t want her, he could have easily avoided this and married Flora or Sakura to make everyone happy.

But no. He was all in.

_Gods…I’ve been blinder than a bat._

Mozu narrowed her brows. “Camilla, take me to him, please,”

She chuckled. “He’s in the middle of the fray. Can you handle it?”

“I gotta and I will,” she said, readying another arrow. She didn’t have many left, but she would make them count. Camilla kicked on Marzia’s sides as the wyvern stopped flapping its wings, diving towards the ground. To the tribalists focusing on the princes, they didn’t expect a wyvern to fall out of the sky. Marzia trampled on a few of them as Camilla tugged on the reins. Spinning fast, Marzia used her tail to smack a bunch of tribalists against each other, knocking them down. Mozu looked back and saw one get dangerously close to them. With no time to load an arrow, she took the bow in both hands and whacked the fighter upside the head. Once he was staggered, she stood on the wyvern and jumped, kicking him in the face to knock him over.

They weren’t out of the woods yet. Before she made a bee-line to Xander’s position, Mozu stopped beside Camilla. “Try to watch out for me if you can. I’d hate to be shot down,”

“Right. Be safe!” she said as Camilla looked back toward more tribalists heading their way.

“Say that to them.” Before Mozu could respond, Marzia jumped off the ground, flying straight towards the crowd. Mozu turned on her heel and dashed through the snow to Xander’s position. He had three men on him now, two at his sides with one mage preparing a spell. She grit her teeth and aimed an arrow, knocking the tome out of the mage’s hand before it could fire.

“Xander!” she called out when she was close. He whipped his head around, his eyes widening when they found hers. She saw the tribalist behind him raising his lance to take advantage. “Behind you!” He narrowed his eyes and turned Algol so his back was towards him. Algol neighed before kicking the tribalist back with a loud crunch of his armor. Xander lifted his sword and swiped the axe out of the fighter’s hand in front of him. In that moment, Mozu ran up and used her bow to deliver another smack to the head, pummeling him into the snow with one hit.

“Mozu! What are you doing here? Was that Camilla?”

“Yeah, it was,” she said, slinging the bow over her shoulder as she mounted Algol in a hurry, sitting behind him. “Forget what I said for a while. I gotta bring you home safe and in one piece.”

He looked behind him, lips parted as if he wanted to say something. He closed them and narrowed his brows, nodding once. “Kilma’s ahead,” he said, pointing forward. All that was there was a thick wall of snowy wind, definitely conjured using magic. “There’s no getting past that barrier,”

“Maybe Flora can get past it,”

“My thoughts exactly. Yet, I can’t leave Leo to fend off the front by himself,” he said as another wave emerged from the blizzard.

“Then we’ll find a way to Flora later,” she said, loading another arrow. She took a deep breath as he sat up straight, ready to welcome the fighters. Though she knew that they were in a strange place, nothing would shirk her loyalty towards him. In this moment, despite the doubts they might have had, they were in this together. Algol reared on her hind legs with a neigh before Xander charged them into the fray. He only needed to swing one, maybe twice, to bring the men to their knees. His job was to make sure no one came too close; Mozu’s was to make sure no one got too far. She had her eyes on the archers and mages that would have done critical damage against them, trying to nitpick from afar. In the first few minutes, she must have shot away five different tomes.

Mozu didn’t forget her promise to Camilla. Every other second, when she wasn’t focusing on him, she glanced around and up to make sure no one would get the drop on her. Her eyes widened when she noticed an archer aim an arrow towards the wyvern as it stood in one place in the air, ready to dive. From this angle, she couldn’t get a clear shot of him with all of the fighters around them. “Xander!” she shouted, suddenly gaining an idea. “Toss me up!”

“What!?” he said,

“Something! Quick!”

He kicked on Algol’s sides causing the horse to buck with full force. Mozu let go of the sides and used the height to aim her bow. Just as she reached the top of her leap, she fired her arrow, catching onto the archer’s cape near his neck. The arrow pinned his head to the ground, stopping him just before he shot. Mozu fell back down, squeezing her thighs around Algol’s legs before she hurt herself on her landing. Xander looked back at her, shock in his eyes as she took deep breaths. “Pay attention!” she said, motioning to the lancer before him.

Her eyes widened when the lancer managed to pierce his side when he was caught off guard. He let out a grunt of pain, staggering for a second as she watched in horror. Xander grit his teeth, kicking the lancer away to stun him before slicing at him with his sword. Once the lancer hit the ground, Xander groaned again as he held his side.

“Oh Gods…” she breathed as she looked over. Godsdammit, that was his bad side, from the bear wound.

“I-I’m fine…” he growled, standing up straight.

No. No he wasn’t. He was growing tired, evident from how long it took to raise his sword. His breaths sounded shallow as he strained to defend himself. Xander managed to push back another fighter, another lancer, but how long until he was fully drained? She had to think of something and fast.

Before she could, she looked to the side to see a mage casting a spell. _Oh no you don’t_. Mozu reached for her quiver feeling for an arrow. Then, her heart sank when she couldn’t feel a single tip. She glanced over her shoulder to see her empty quiver as her body panicked. Looking back at the mage, it was a spell intended for Xander. She wasn’t sure he could take such a hit, if he would even survive it.

No. No way she was risking that. No way she would let them win.

Just before the spell fired, Mozu reached forward, pressing her chest against his back. Her hands squeezed around him and reached for the reins, tugging on them quickly. By her command, Algol turned quickly with Mozu now in the spell’s trajectory. She looked up at Xander as he turned his head towards her, his eyes wide. Not a second after did she feel the burning ice sear on her back, pain shooting through her veins. Her eyes bulged and her jaw dropped with a long gasp, as if she was going to scream.

But it never came out.

The cold seeped into her skin, numbing her from her back as it traveled through her blood. She lost control of her frozen muscles, unable to hang onto anything at all. Her vision blurred as everything quieted, seeing Xander get further away from her. Horror filled his eyes as he reached for her. She heard him shout, but it was already too late. She was already seeing black.

Xander couldn’t catch her in time and he saw her body fall onto the snow, the remnants of his loud “No!” echoing still. His hand twitched and his veins pumped with rage when he looked up, finding the mage that did this. His teeth grit together as a fire lit in his eyes, Siegfried pulsating with dark energy. He jumped off Algol as he crouched over her, seeing the mage ready to fire another ice shot. Fighters were closing in on him, and though he was simply injuring the tribalists, he couldn’t hold back any longer.

He lifted Siegfried with one hand and held her against his chest with the other. With an anguished cry, he stabbed the sword into the ground, a great aura emanating from it. The enemies that had closed in were hit with a massive shockwave that tossed them back like dolls. Dark electricity pierced through their bodies, cutting their cries short as their lifeless bodies fell into the snow. Xander felt his head throb, his vision dizzy as he strained to see her before him. With labored breaths, he dropped Siegfried beside him and cradled her in his arms, pushing away the snow.

“Mozu…Mozu!” Her skin lost its color and now was sickly pale. Her eyes were closed and she lied there motionless. “No…No, no, no!” He shook her once, blindly hoping that she would snap awake.

“Xander!” He lifted his head hearing the familiar voice of his youngest sister. Elise rode in with Sakura behind her. “I saw that light and—Ah!”

They both glanced down and Sakura put her hands over her mouth. “Mozu!” she cried as she jumped down, kneeling beside her. Elise followed, crouching on the other side. “Wh-what happened!?”

“She…” Xander lifted her slightly to reveal her back. The spell tore holes through her clothes, leaving what looked like lightning bolts spread from the center.

“Oh no…” Elise took her head, studying her face for a quick second.

“Sh-she’s freezing,” said Sakura, holding her hand and checking for a pulse. A lump formed in his throat as he looked between the two healers.

“Please, do something!”

“We can’t here,” Elise said, looking around to make sure they wouldn’t be attacked. “A staff can’t fix all of this,”

“Sh-she needs heat,” Sakura said, squeezing her hand. “E-Even if we h-heal her out here…”

Xander understood what that meant. The wound would close, but the ice would still be inside, meaning she could perish if he didn’t act fast. As he held her head in his hand, he frowned deeply, the decision weighing in. He was the commander of this battle and needed to fend off as many foes as he could. But, Mozu was his betrothed, the one he chose to spend his life with. She needed him now more than ever.

His eyes narrowed as he remembered last night, how her question pierced his beliefs. He wanted to forget such miserable eyes that stared back at him when he wanted to kiss her, but now he wished to see her open them again. Last night, he had all but chosen Nohr over her. Now, it would be different.

Xander closed his eyes, guilt churning in him as he thought about the dreadful possibilities that could befall everyone if he wasn’t there. He had to tell himself that they were retainers and royals, better skilled then most, so that he could tear himself away. “Elise,” he said, lifting Mozu in his arms, sliding Siegfried into its sheath. “We have to go,”

“N-not to the fortress,” Sakura said. “Even that’s under attack now.”

“Then…Flora’s hideout,” he said, mounting Algol and holding her body close. “It’s further, but it’s all we have now,”

“Mhm. Sakura,” Elise said, mounting her horse as well. “Are you coming?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I…I’m needed here.” She glanced back towards the direction where Leo was fighting. “G-go. I-I’ll be fine.”

Xander nodded and spurred Algol into a fast gallop. Elise followed behind him as he maneuvered around the perimeter. He wanted to look back, to make sure everyone was fine, but all he could concentrate on now was her. He even ignored the wound at his side and the fatigue pulling down on his eyes and body. _Please, hold on_ , he pleaded inside his head. _Don’t leave me, Mozu_.

They rode until they reached the outside walls of the tribe, keeping as far as they could. Flora’s small hut was in a hidden away patch of land behind some trees, forcing them to slow as they reached it. Xander hissed when he dismounted, the puncture in his side stinging as he moved. He grit his teeth as he carried Mozu inside, ignoring the pain for her sake. “Elise, there’s a Fire Tome on the table,”

“Got it,” she said, closing the door and finding it. He knelt down before the fireplace on the rug as Elise used the tome to light the fire.

“I can’t imagine what would have happened if you and Camilla hadn’t arrived…how did you?”

“Camilla said to follow,” she said, kneeling down next to him. “We’ll get to it later. Ah!” She looked at him. “Big Brother, you’re bleeding too!”

“Her first.” She opened her mouth. “Do it, Elise.”

“Fine…Lemme see her back.” Xander untied her cape and let it fall to the ground as Elise removed her gloves. He held Mozu up as Elise lifted her shirt, gasping when she saw it. The streaks of frost had mostly dissipated, but some lingered on the scars. They were bright red again as if she had gotten them two days ago, searing on her back. A sad frown happened on Elise’s lips. “Xander, these aren’t from now, but, when…?”

The line between his brows thickened as he clenched his teeth, the image of her receiving the lashes flashing in his mind. She made such painful cries that tore at his heart. If only he had made up his mind a minute earlier.

His voice was low, keeping calm. “Scars of the whip,” he said. “They are perhaps two weeks old now,”

“T-Two weeks? Oh gosh…” She bit her lip and reached for the Mend staff that she brought, holding it over her back. “How did that happen?”

Xander sighed; he wasn’t sure how much of the story Elise knew. “Her crime was high treason,” he said, watching the staff glow as it calmed the angry red on her skin.

“Oh yeah…I heard. So what then?”

“Not today, Elise. Not now…” he said, ending with a sigh. “How is she?”

“The frost is leaving!” she said with a cheery smile, pulling away the staff and lowering her shirt. “But, we’re not out of the woods yet. She’s gotta keep her body temperature up, otherwise, she’ll just fall right back to the cold in her body.” One part of him was relieved to hear that the worst was over, but he had to remain focused. His eyes narrowed in deep thought again.

“…You should go, Elise,” he said.

“Wha?”

“Go. Your healing abilities are sorely needed on the field.” He looked up, determination in his expression as she frowned.

“Mmm…fine,” she said with a sigh. “That means you gotta stay until she’s completely better,”

“How long will that take?”

“Depends on the cold. Depends on her,” she said, looking between him and the door. “If you gradually keep her nice and toasty, she’ll be fine,”

“I see. Thank you, Elise.”

A soft smile crept on her lips before it widened into a grin. “For you, anything,” she said with a small laugh. “Now will you let me see your side?”

When she mentioned it, he recalled that he was in pain and it shot through his waist. He lifted his arm as Elise waved her staff once. A simple puncture wound like that closed up in seconds as he sighed in relief, the pain ebbing away. “Thank you again,”

Elise stood and paced to the door. “Don’t mention it. And, ya know…” She put her hand on the knob. “I don’t think I ever heard you so worried before.”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, nothing, see ya!” she said, seeing herself out. He heard her horse canter away, leaving the two of them alone. Or rather, he was the lonely one until she awoke. He held her hand in his, suddenly recalling how his armor could very well be just as cold. Xander set her down before him and rushed to unclip and untie every part of it. In doing so, he felt the icy air sting on his shoulders, covered only with a shirt as he removed the gauntlets. Quickly, he stood to grab the blanket on the bed and brought that with him. He felt his teeth chatter until he held her again, wrapping the blanket around them as they sat before the fire.

And now he waited.

His eyes didn’t leave her body, making sure that the color didn’t fade or that her lips didn’t turn purple. The crackling firewood and his own breathing were the only sounds he could hear, making for a deafening silence.

In a soft voice, he began to speak. “…Why did you do that.” It felt strange hearing his own voice speak to no one in particular, but it was better than the silence. She was much too still, waning closer to an eternal rest rather than a nap. He could feel her soft breaths of air against his shirt, and though they were faint, they were his only comfort right now. “…You’re always risking yourself for me.” First it was the bear incident that miraculously left her unscathed. Then there was their confrontation where he had foolishly reopened her wounds. And now this. “Don’t tell me it is because you don’t value your life, because you don’t care.” His eyes focused on her and he spoke as if she could hear him clearly. At least, he hoped she could. “Because I do.” He ran his hands up and down her arms, hoping to warm her. “You cannot keep doing this. We can’t…we can’t keep having these close calls in our life.”

Xander thought of the distant future a lot, but often in pessimistic ways. He worried and fretted over his kingdom and always thought of the worst case scenarios to prepare for them. This time, he was thinking of her. He thought of their wedding, smelling the flowers in the temple and hearing the organ play. He thought of her laughing at his terrible bedhead and quieting her with a kiss. It felt worse with each new thought because it was so far away, and because he was here now, waiting for her to awake.

He couldn’t listen to his thoughts anymore; he needed to talk to distract himself. “…There’s a small chance,” he said, making sure the blanket covered them both. Xander could not bring himself to say it directly. “But I know you’re stronger than that. So…please…” He brought her closer, resting his lips over her head and lowering into a whisper. “Come back to me soon.” Usually, he was one to keep calm, to stay poised, but even when she wasn’t awake, she still unraveled him. He felt his throat tightening and his eyes growing hot. “If you don’t…I wouldn’t know what to do.”

His chest felt tight. “I can’t…I don’t want to find anyone else.” Just the thought of trying to move on pierced a crack in his heart. “You…I feel so safe with you. Please.” And it was true. He showed her things and told her things no one else knew. He feared being judged by others, even perhaps his own family, but not with her. Even as she laughed and told him the truth, he felt as if that he could do anything idiotic and she would still be the same after it all.

_Please…don’t make me open up to anyone else like I did with you…_

Now that he had confirmed his fear, there was nothing else to say. He felt tears ready to form and prick his lids, but he kept them down. _She’s going to make it…she has to_. He kept repeating it in his mind as he ran his hand up and down her back, hoping to warm her more. “Mozu, _please_ …I need you…I…”

Xander stopped, opening his eyes went he felt her jolt. He lifted his head to look at her as she pinched her brows, audibly breathing slowly, then a little faster. “Mozu?”

She grunted and grit her teeth, opening her eyes with a staggering gasp. Her teeth chattered as she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering and trying to warm herself. Xander stopped her arms and held her closer, shushing her softly. “It’s okay, it’s okay. You’re…you’re okay…”

“X-X-Xander?” Oh how sweet it was to hear her speak.

He held her cheek, stroking with his thumb. “You’re okay.” In all honesty, he was comforting them both with his words. Her shivering calmed as she found his warm eyes, her hands slowing to a stop. Relief swelled over him as his shoulders relaxed and he managed a smile. “Thank _gods_ you’re okay,”

“Wh-wha? O-Of course I--.” Her eyes widened when he suddenly pulled her closer, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist and his hand on the back of her head.  He was still afterwards, focusing on her movement as she pressed her hand against his cheek and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. Hell, he was relieved that she was _moving_ , that she was awake. Hearing her voice and feeling her respond brought him such solace that it overwhelmed him and a stray tear ran down his cheek. “I-I’m…I’m sorry…” she said, pulling back just to see his face. She frowned, wiping his tear at his jawline. “I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t think--,”

He shook his head. “Never. Again.” She pressed her lips together. “Please, for us both.”

She glanced away for a second. “B-But, I was just trying to protect you,”

“At the cost of your life?” His brows narrowed. “Did you consider the slight possibility?”

“N-not really…I didn’t think I’d faint.”

He frowned. “You were hit in the back. Your scars were bright red.”

Her eyes bulged as she rolled her shoulders, groaning behind her lip. “O-Oh…that explains that,”

“Are you in pain?”

“Stiff,” she said, sitting up on her own. “Agh…” She winced and her shoulders tensed.

“Dammit, you _are_ in pain,”

“Okay, fine, sure!” She crossed her arms. “Are you mad at me for protectin’ you?”

“A part of me is, yes. What makes you think it is okay to do that? To put yourself in harm’s way to protect me?” He watched her brows furrow and her lips pout. Gods, he didn’t want her angry with him, so he relaxed his features, speaking calmly. “I’m…I’m thankful that you did that, but why?” he asked, worry setting into his eyes.

“What do you mean ‘why’?” She reached up, putting her hand on his shoulder. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? I wanted to protect you,”

“Would you have allowed me to do the same?” he asked her, watching his question settle in. “If I had almost died protecting you, how would you feel?”

“Wh-wha? I woulda given you a lecture!”

“Exactly,”

“But it’s different for me,” she said. “I’m…jus’ me and you’re--,” she stopped herself short but Xander knew what she going to say.

“And I’m the crown prince, we both know.” She closed her mouth, looking away. He knew what kind of implications hid behind that statement if she finished it, but he knew her better than that. He couldn’t blame her for still having that commoner versus royalty mindset. “But soon, you and I will be equals and it wouldn’t matter.” He tilted her chin up so she could face him. “And it’s no different if I had chosen to save you.” The words flowed from his lips so freely; that was the effect she had on him. A passive thought had him fearing what he would say next.

“I-I get it…but dontcha think Nohr needs you more than me?”

“A king needs his queen.” Her cheeks turned pink and he had never been so happy to see color in her skin. “There’s no negotiating here, Mozu. Your life is as important as mine,”

“That’s k-kinda hard to believe,” she said, ending with a nervous chuckle,

“Well, ingrain it into your mind.” He smiled, fingers feeling her now warm cheek.

Her features softened as a smile faded on her lips. She lifted her hand and pressed it against his. “I-I’ll try. If it’s for you, I’ll do it.”

Xander hadn’t thought about his words, only that he needed to say something that surpassed anything else that he had said before. Without blinking or moving an inch, his voice softened as the words left his tongue. “I love you.”

For a few seconds, they sat in the silence other than the fire crackling in front of them as they remained huddled under the blanket. Mozu stared back at him with a look of disbelief, filling him with anxiety in his chest. He was certain in his words, but he couldn’t help but expect the worst.

Finally she spoke, hope hinting in her voice. “Y-You do?”

“Yes.” And he found the courage to say it again. “I love you, Mozu. And I thank the gods each day that you found it in yourself to be with someone like me.”

Her smile widened as she gazed at him with such affection. “I love you too.” The anxiety disappeared and elation filled his chest. “Gods, I love you so much. I thought you mighta known but I guess I had to say it.”

Xander laughed. “I…I think I knew.” He stroked some hair from her face. “But hearing it sounds like a wonderful dream. Just like when you accepted my proposal.” It truly did sound like a dream. He hadn’t expected to find love like this in his life, knowing his marriage could have very well been only for political gain. But here she was, lying in his arms and telling him that she loved him too. Knowing that, the cold was barely noticeable and he had forgotten of the battle outside. For now, he was in love.

Mozu leaned in, pressing her forehead against him as she spoke quietly. “Do…do you remember what you said after?”

His hand reached the back of her neck, not letting her escape this as he whispered back. “I said to pray mercy on the one who awakes me…”

He pulled her close and tilted her head, capturing her lips in a kiss. Xander lowered her with his arm around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, chest pressed against his. Their lips parted for small gasps of air as his fingers ran through her hair. He had missed her natural, earthy scent and the warmth of her body when they embraced.

It seemed like a dream, but the way he felt her warm lips and soft hair told him it was anything but. He couldn’t believe it, but he was truly going to marry the woman he loved. Xander was going to love her with all of his being and he was never going to let Mozu go. Not now. Not ever.

* * *

Sakura knelt down, waving the Mend staff that she was given over him, closing the wound on his chest. Arthur stood back up with a triumphant laugh, taking his axe. “Thank you, Milady!” he said, joining his comrades in battle right after.

She had kept to the sides, only jumping in to heal those who needed it. Thankfully, the Mend staff was very similar in concept to a rod, so she used it with ease. However, her heart plagued as she looked to the distance to where the trees appeared and vanished. Somehow, Leo was fending them off, caught in the middle of the fray. She couldn’t see him through the crowd of tribalists, but with the way they fell and stumbled, he was winning. Not sure for how long.

“Sakura!” She whipped her head around as Elise returned, halting beside her. She felt some relief seeing the princess return, but she noticed the absence of Xander and Mozu.

“How is she?”

“She’s fine, Xander’s watching her.” She bit her lip, looking around the battlefield. Xander had actually been crucial in fending many of them off. The retainers had scattered and Camilla had less and less opportunities to land. Furthermore, as commander, he had yet to formulate and issue a plan. If Xander was gone, then it would have to be Leo.

And right now, he needed help.

“We need to get to Leo,” Sakura said, looking back at Elise. “He’s our only chance right now,”

“You’re right! It looks like he needs some backup anyway. Hop on!”

Clutching the bow he gave her, she mounted the horse as Elise spurred it into a gallop. “Watch my back!” she said as she lifted her arm, ready to use the tome in her hand. Sakura had tried to hold out on hurting anyone, but now she couldn’t avoid it. She loaded an arrow into her Shining Bow, just in case as they rode into the fray. Ahead of them, Xander’s retainer, Peri, was surrounded by two mages circling her horse as she swung at them with her sword. Elise waved her hand over the tome, shouting, “You’re going down, scumbags!” Sakura looked just in time as she blasted them with harsh electric bolts, sending them flying. “Yeah!” she said as they rode past. “Didja see that?”

“Y-Yes! Y-you’re great with magic,”

“Only ‘cause I learned from the best. Ah! Behind you!”

Sakura turned and saw a Dark Knight closing in on them. Thankfully, she had her arrow prepared. Sakura waited until he lifted his tome so she could simply disarm him, and then, she fired. The magic arrow flew and pierced the tome, its force also knocking him off his horse.

“Wow!” Elise giggled. “That’s a powerful bow, huh?”

Sakura turned back around, focusing on what was ahead of her. “Y-Yeah…guess it is!”

They neared Leo’s swarm as Elise slowed. He was surrounded, but he was letting nothing touch him or Rasalas. His tome floated before him as both of his hands issued spells left and right. Everywhere he turned, there was another threat that he had to neutralize. At first, she had no will to see him fight but then Sakura noticed now that the trees he made only captured and subdued his attackers, shedding minimal blood.

“How’re we gonna get to him?” Elise asked.

She wasn’t sure if they could hold them off as easily. Sakura remembered the quick tactic Xander had used the day before, attacking from the flanks as opposed to head on. “From the side,” Sakura said.

“Huh?”

“We go around and hit them at the side, where they’re not looking. I-It should help us…”

Elise blinked in surprise before she returned with a wink and thumbs up. “You got it, Future Sister! Hiyaa!” She kicked her horse’s sides and broke into a gallop towards the perimeter. As Elise instructed, they had to be far from everyone else to effectively surprise the tribalists. Once they were in good position, Elise rode them closer to Leo’s position. “Oh yeah! We’re so gonna—h-huh?!”

She halted once the tribalists picked themselves off the ground. Sakura feared they would start attacking but instead, they ran away. “Th-they’re retreating?—Ah!”

All of a sudden, the wind picked up and howled through the field, blinding them with a fierce veil of snow. They had to shield their eyes as the temperature dropped and the snow flurried around them out of nowhere. Elise shouted over the crying wind. “Where did this come from?!”

It died down enough for them to uncover their eyes, but it surrounded them, the cold nipping at their skin. Sakura heard a crack and all of a sudden, a giant rock of ice flung underneath the horse, pushing it back. It neighed as it tossed the princesses off, landing them in the snow. Both made grunts when they fell, struggling to sit up as their limbs had fallen in a couple of inches.

“Wh-what’s going on!?” Elise shouted again. Sakura looked back to see her quiver of arrows behind her, Elise’s tome at her feet. The horse whinnied as ice formed around its legs, holding it in place. “No!” She struggle to sit up, but it was no use as a grey figure emerged from the blizzard’s veil.

Atop a white horse, Kilma strode in, holding the light blue tome in one hand as his other relaxed beside him. He wore a smirk that sent shivers down Sakura’s spine and she feared for their lives. “Good day,” he said, earning a death glare from Elise. “You’re Sakura…and you must be Elise,”

“That’s _Princess_ Elise, you jerk!” she said, holding her tome.

“E-Elise, don’t!”

Too late. She conjured a quick spell from her tome and flung it at Kilma. The chieftain lifted his free hand, catching the spell in his hand, all the while maintaining his composure. Sakura gasped as the lightning faded, bits of electricity still shocking around him, but he hadn’t even flinched.

“Wh-what!?”

“As expected of Nohrian royalty. So very, _very_ rude.” He lifted his free hand as Sakura watched in horror. He fired a spell around Elise’s feet, encasing her legs in ice as she cried out. When she moved her hands, the ice shot to them too, holding her down. The princess shivered as she tried to move.

“Elise!”

“And you.” Kilma waved his hand again, conjuring up another harsh storm. The princesses screamed from the sudden wind, Sakura covering her arms. Then, she screamed again when she felt her feet leave the ground as her body floated. “You’re coming with me.” When the spell left her, she had fallen directly into his arms.

“Sakura!” Elise yelled, struggling against the ice. “You scumbag JERK! You coward!”

Sakura yelped as he slung her over his shoulder, his strong arms keeping a steel lock on her. She squirmed under him, hitting his back and trying to kick. “Let me go!”

All of her movements were negated when he broke into a gallop. Suddenly, on a moving horse like this, her body was too stricken with fear to move. She bounced awkwardly, stomach hitting his shoulder as her legs dangled along the side. Sakura screamed loudly, trying to get someone’s attention. She looked up as a dark figure emerged from the sky, recognizing Camilla’s wyvern. “Hold on!” she yelled at her. “I got y--!”

From the right side, three arrows had shot the wyvern, knocking it for a roll in the sky before it plummeted to the ground. Sakura let out another scream as the wyvern and its rider grew smaller and smaller.

Leo noticed from the side as Camilla fell from the sky, his heart sinking. “Sister!” He quickly began riding to her until he heard the scream from a familiar voice. No… With wide eyes, he turned and saw Kilma holding Sakura over his shoulder as she looked back at him. His blood boiled and he gripped Brynhildr so hard that it almost broke. “Sakura!” He knew Rasalas was tired, but he pushed her into a gallop, riding as fast as he could.

Once she was close, she reached her arm out to him. “Leo!” There was so much fear in her eyes that it almost broke his heart again. No, he wouldn’t let that bastard take her. Just the thought of it caused bile to sting his throat as he wore an expression that could kill. In fact, he intended to. He had held back before, but he wouldn’t for this son of a bitch.

Leo raised his hand, readying a spell. He had to be careful with Sakura, but easily, he could make a tree rise from the ground and splinter the horse and Kilma. He could see it so clearly in his mind, the way the chieftain would bleed and cry out in pain. He wanted nothing more to see him suffer, to tear him limb from limb. With one stroke of his hand, he could do it. He was going to.

But then he saw her eyes. She was struck with fear and sadness as she watched him, waited for him. He had only seen that face once, and it was yesterday, when he had killed the knight. Leo suddenly remembered the chain of events that occurred after, how she cried and looked at him with horror that it broke his heart.

Leo hesitated. He couldn’t bear to see her like that again. He couldn’t bear to rescue her only for Sakura to fear him and shun him. _I can’t do it…I can’t do it!_

In the moment that he decided not to cast his spell, Kilma did. He raised his free hand and waved it, sending another blizzard towards Leo’s way. It hit him like a brick wall, flinging him off his horse and tossing him into the snow. Leo’s body hit the ground like a bag of bricks, grunting loudly as the pain shot through his head down to his feet. He only lied there for a second until he heard her faintly shout, “Leo!”

He sat up, dizzying himself even more as struggled to look for the direction of the voice. The wind picked up quickly, then died down, leaving him in the middle of the field stranded with only Brynhildr and Rasalas near him. Leo took fast breaths, looking around to find any sign of her, where she could have gone. “No…No, no!” He tried to stand, but his fatigue and bruises brought him back down, his muscles feeling like stone. “No… _Sakura_!”

The scream of her name echoed in the valley, but even then, she was already too far away to hear it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! What a day. I struggled between who should have said the thing first, but I'm happy with my decision. Many thanks for everyone's lovely reviews on Satisfaction Brought it Back and this fic as well! Don't worry...more smut to come hehe. Have a lovely day!


	22. Love Manifests

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OHH MY GOD. This is so long and I'm sorry. This should be the last super long chapter but we'll see if the ending ones are this bad. Shouldn't be. A lot of fun this chapter with some fluff and good stuff. A lot of badass women =w=  
> Can you believe we're almost done with this fic? I can't. Four more chapters after this and we're done ;w;
> 
> Ah well save those feels until the last three chapters or so ahah.

**Love Manifests**

 

Xander secured the gauntlet on his right arm, flexing his fingers and moving his forearm up and down. Once he had determined that the armor would stay in place and that he was ready to go, he looked back towards her as she held the cape in front of her. As she poked her finger through its hole, he frowned. Breaking the silence, he asked, “Have you given any thought to staying here?”

She turned back to him, brows furrowing as she glared. “Excuse me?”

“You’re not fully recovered.” He knew she would react that way, but he had to try. “And you have no means of protecting yourself.” Mozu glanced at the bow and empty quiver beside her. “I know it’s not ideal, but--,”

“I’m going with you.”

“Mozu--,”

“I’m safest not here, not in the fortress,” she said, standing and walking to him. “But beside you. Thought you woulda known that.”

She gave him a half-smile that brought the same to him. “You would think. Let’s go.” They stepped outside and found Algol, Mozu mounting her first as Xander sat behind her. After venturing through the trees, he kicked her sides and broke her into a gallop towards the battlefield.

Though he had no regrets leaving to make sure Mozu was safe, he still worried about the battle. Without his command, he had left everyone without a leader, blindly fighting without a plan. The only fact comforting him was that all of his siblings were there, including his sisters by some miracle. There was a chance they could still win the day.

On his way to the field, he thought it was a ways away from the lack of any sounds of war. There were no shouts, no clanging metals, which was odd. When he reached the perimeter, he was shocked to see that the field was nearly empty. The retainers were slow, trudging to help one another and pick themselves off the ground. Not a tribalist in sight; no strong winds harrowing them down. Mozu said what was on his mind. “Wh-what happened?...”

Something didn’t sit right. “Xander!” He turned Algol around once he heard the desperate cry of his youngest sister. Elise rode to him, her eyes wide with shock and her lips in a rare frown. It instantly brought worry to his heart.

“Elise! Are you alright?”

“It’s not me! It’s Sakura!”

“Sakura?” asked Mozu, leaning forward. “No, no…please don’t tell me…”

Elise glanced between the both of them as Mozu put her fingers over her mouth. “Kilma…Kilma took her,”

“No!” cried Mozu, gasping and covering her mouth. Xander’s jaw dropped as he shivered with a bout of fear. His mind’s voice plagued him with the thought that it was his fault, that he was absent and allowed it. Oh Gods, and out of everyone else, Sakura had to pay for it.

The line between his brows thickened, his voice dropping to a tone of subdued anger. “What happened?”

“We were together and about to help Leo. But then Kilma used that dumb blizzard spell!” She glanced to the side. “Froze me and my horse so we couldn’t move and that’s when he took her,”

“And Leo? Camilla? Didn’t they see it?”

“I didn’t see Leo. Camilla was shot down.” Mozu lifted her head out of her hands, her brows furrowing.

“Oh Gods…” Xander shook his head; perhaps it really was his fault. “Go find Camilla. We’ll look for Leo.” Elise nodded as Xander spurred Algol into a fast gallop, going towards the front lines of the field. Leo and his horse were in all black, so he shouldn’t be hard to spot in a field of snow. No doubt, his brother must have seen Sakura’s capture and attempted to stop it. Though the chance was slim, a part of Xander hoped to see Leo riding back with the Hoshidan princess with him, safe and sound.

Instead, he found a black figure getting closer as he rode, stopping when in full view. Leo walked alongside his horse, one hand on the reins as another held his side, his head cast down. All hope faded as Xander descended. “Brother? Are you alright?”

When Leo lifted his head, Xander was met with the cruelest expression he could manage. His brows and eyes made dark lines on his face, lips curling. If Xander was a lesser man, he would have shrunk in the face of such contempt. “You…” Leo’s voice had a growl from the back of his throat. “Where. Were. You.”

He frowned, standing his ground. “I had to leave,”

“You _had_ to?” He stood up straight, raising his volume. “For what? Her?!” He pointed an accusing finger at Mozu. “You’re our commander, our leader! How could you just leave!”

“Stop this!” he retorted back. “Don’t take this out on her!”

“Trust me, _Brother_ , this is on you.” The finger came back, pointing at Xander’s chest.

“And I intend to take responsibility.” He swatted Leo’s hand away.

“Responsibility? Do you know what could happen? He could _kill_ her!” Mozu turned away, shutting her eyes closed. “At the very least, torture her! So it doesn’t matter what you say because, ultimately, _she_ will be the one paying for your mistake!”

“Leo, that is enough!” His voice bellowed enough to make both Mozu and Leo flinch. The younger prince took a step back as Xander lowered his voice from his outburst. “Either you can continue to berate me or you can return with me and formulate a plan to get her back.” Leo relaxed his tense shoulders, turning his glare toward the ground.

His brother wouldn’t believe him, but the panging guilt already tightened his chest and weighed in on his heart. The last thing he wanted was for Sakura to suffer. There was truth in Leo’s outburst; if he hadn’t left, it probably never had to happen.

Xander turned away from Leo and glanced up at Mozu. She held her hands in front of her, her eyes closed and brows tight as she held back any sounds. From the quivering of her eyelids, she was about to cry. He knew that if he had left her with Elise, she would have been okay, but he couldn’t have done that. Xander chose her and it was about time that he abided by that choice. Mounting Algol behind her, he put his hand on her shoulder as Leo hoisted himself onto Rasalas. Poor thing must be worried sick about Sakura as well. He was going to fix this, no matter the cost.

* * *

Her room had no windows, but it was more of a room than a cell. For one, Sakura had an actual bed with an actual blanket and a table in the center, but it was a cell nonetheless. She was locked in and no doubt guarded should she make any attempt of escaping; not that it was possible. Though, her only complaint was the bitter cold. She had to pace around the room and rub her arms to keep her warmth up as her thoughts wandered in her mind.

Sakura couldn’t forget Leo’s face when he was so close to saving her. His brows tilted up in worry, his lips parted but unable to say anything. Daresay, he hadn’t looked so pitiful, so frightened before. She saw how he hesitated and how that moment in time would end up becoming his failure. His expression kept on her mind for hours, among all of the other intrusive thoughts that she had. She worried about Elise, about Camilla after watching her pummel to the ground. Hinoka had always warned her the danger of arrows against Pegasi, how they could pick them off from afar. Wyverns seemed more resilient than Pegasi, so hopefully Camilla was okay.

After hours of sitting, standing, and contemplating, there was a knock at the door. She thought it odd to warn her of any presence, but she kept silent nonetheless. The lock clicked and Kilma strolled in, dropping the temperature of the room by a couple of degrees. Sakura kept still as he set down a plate of food on the table and closed the door behind him. “Good evening, Princess.” He took a seat, gesturing for her to do the same. Out of a mix of fear and defiance, she didn’t move. Kilma narrowed his eyes. “Please.”

Mustering her courage, Sakura sat down, but kept her hands in her lap, not daring to touch the food. “I thought we could chat,” he said, his tone casual. She wasn’t sure what to say, so she kept silent, fidgeting in her seat. Kilma lifted a brow, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “You have questions, no doubt.”

At this point, it would be best to comply, she thought. “…Wh-why?” she asked. “Why take me? A-are you g-going t-to k…k…”

He chuckled, but it brought her no comfort. “No. I admit, at first, I wanted nothing more than to put your head in an ice box and send it back to Garon,” she shivered visibly at that, “but, I realized you’re more useful alive.”

Sakura narrowed her brows. “…I still don’t get it,” she said. “Wh-why you’re doing this…i-if you k-kill Xander and L-Leo, then K-King Garon will...will…”

“Come and ravage the tribe?” She closed her lips. “Destroy us? We know.” Her shoulders dropped and she stopped shaking, baffled by his statement. Kilma took on a neutral expression, relaxing in his chair. “My men know the consequences and are ready to lay down their lives,”

“S-So…why?”

He sighed. “Princess Sakura, do you know how Nohr treats us? How they’ve double-crossed us time and time again?” She shook her head. “It’s been happening for centuries. Nohrian kings find every way to give us little and take as much as they could. King Adelbert sent us seeds for crops in exchange for our water. Before arriving, many of those seeds were broken or rotten and the viable ones could not grow anyway. My people were counting on that grain for that winter.” Her heart sank. “King Siegrund insisted that we were too idiotic to farm it ourselves so he sent lower-class farmers to do the hard labor.” He pinched his brows. “More than half of those men died in the first few months of winter. Froze to death. Couldn’t even use their corpses as fertilizer.” Kilma rubbed his temples. “Seeds. Men. Before that, when they had nothing to offer us, Nohrian soldiers occupied our tribe, forcing the water trade. ” Sakura looked down at her hands, unable to believe her ears. She had done research on the tribe before, exploring their history. Nothing of what Kilma said was in the books. And yet, if Kilma was dead set in his resolution, then they had to be true. Why hadn’t she heard of this before? Did Xander and Leo know? Her expression turned sour, realizing the implication if they had known and kept it secret. “My people and I are sick of it,”

“But is this the best course?” she asked, lifting her head. “Is it worth it to be wiped out?”

Kilma paused. “Yes. Let me tell you why.” She held her breath, biting her cheek. “The tribe will take the lives of the princes, including that commoner. We will bask in the pride that comes with it, spit in King Garon’s face for once. He will send an army, no doubt, but we will welcome the imminent purging of the tribe. And then…that’s where your life is instrumental.” He smirked. “We will return you to Hoshido unharmed. I’m sure your peace-loving royal family would be _delighted_ to see the slaughter of an entire tribe and how narrowly their princess escaped it.” She shivered. “They will all see the living monster that is Nohr for what it truly is,”

“S-so…you w-want to sever r-relations,”

“Oh, it’s more than that. I want to plant the seeds of doubt in Hoshido. Those seeds will manifest, and soon, Hoshido will realize that Nohr cannot exist as a kingdom any longer.” Her heart sunk. “Don’t you see? Only Hoshido is strong enough to defeat Nohr. I don’t care if it takes decades or centuries; I want the Nohrian dynasty to fall, once and for all.”

A slow death for the kingdom of Nohr. That’s what this was about. Though highly speculative, Sakura could see the plausibility in Hoshido looking down on its neighboring kingdom, should Garon slaughter the tribe. Her siblings would be furious to know that she was caught in the middle of this and nearly killed, furthering resentment for Nohr. And Mother…she was already hesitant in the beginning to assist Nohr, knowing many Hoshidans wanted to isolate themselves from the kingdom. All of this would only make it worse. Much worse.

Kilma’s smirk softened. “Don’t you worry, Lady Sakura. We promise to hand you over to Hoshido safe and sound, as long as you assist in convincing them to sever ties with Nohr.”

She crumpled up some of her clothes in her fists. “Why…would I do that?”

He scoffed. “You want to be free of this, no? Don’t tell me you enjoy being a pawn in this.” He waved his hand. “I wouldn’t put it behind Prince Leo to have demanded your hand when he wanted it. And what of Prince Xander marrying that commoner? Last I checked, it would have been less of a headache if he had simply forced her to be a concubine.”

Sakura bit down hard on her cheek, her brows furrowing as she felt her body heat up. “I chose Leo.”

He blinked in surprise. “Excuse me?”

“I chose to marry Leo just as much as he chose to marry me.” Kilma closed his jaw, frowning. “And Xander is an honorable man that would rather marry the woman he loves than make her a concubine.” A voice in her head told her to shut up, but the words spilled out. “And Leo has his flaws, but you didn’t even give him a chance. He spent so much time trying to figure out how to please you, to support you with what limited resources he had!” She felt her eyes grow hot. “I’m deeply sorry that Nohr has wronged you in the past, but you’re taking it out on the wrong people!”

He laughed. “And what would you suggest, Lady Sakura? That we _ask_ Nohr to listen to our grievances? They see us as nothing more than a water supply run by degenerates.” Kilma stood, looking down at her with a scowl. “Here in Nohr, the only voice heard is the voice of the victor.” She sucked in her bottom lip, biting down. “And after this, we _will_ be heard.” To that, Sakura had nothing to say, and simply stared him down with her look of resolve. Kilma took her silence as his cue to leave, shutting the door behind him as she heard the lock click. She looked down at the simple plate of food, probably already cold. Not like she had much of an appetite.

At this point, she had not a clue which side would be the victor. The royals and retainers were strong, no doubt, but Kilma’s men had nothing to lose. They had already accepted their imminent deaths in hope to be the catalyst to Nohr’s downfall. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.

 _Xander. Mozu. Leo. You have to win. You all have to win…for everyone’s sake._ She felt a hot tear trail down her cheek. _Even…Even if you have to kill to do it._

* * *

As Xander looked over everyone in the meeting room, he noticed how battered and bruised everyone was. The retainers had tears in their clothes, scratches on their hands and faces. Some shifted awkwardly in place, perhaps trying to lean on the leg that wasn’t bruised and cut up. For most of the afternoon, Elise stayed by Camilla’s side as she stayed in bed. She was alive and in one piece, but had broken her arm from the fall. Easily treated with a Mend staff, but, her body needed rest.

Mozu had not spoken much throughout the day. No doubt her mind was preoccupied, but a part of him worried she was also thinking about that question she asked him last night. It wasn’t as if they resolved that issue. He suddenly thought that he shouldn’t concern himself with that conversation now; Mozu would hold through until the very end of this ordeal. She was with him through thick and thin, and honestly, that was what he needed right now.

Leo had not spoken either, but for an entirely different reason. Xander could feel the resentment and anger emanating from his younger brother, making the atmosphere of every room that he walked into charged with negative energy, pushing everyone into high alert. It was like watching a volcano before its inevitable eruption, but no one was sure when it would.

The door opened and Elise came in, holding Camilla’s hand as she slowly walked in, her gait devoid of any energy. “Sister,” Xander said, concern in his tone. “You should be resting.”

Camilla sat at one of the chairs, looking forward with a frown. “I can sit,” she said. “And I can listen,”

“Don’t tell me you intend to fight.”

She narrowed her once gentle eyes, finding a spark within them that Xander had only seen a few times. “Sakura is family.” Everyone’s attention focused on her, no one daring to listen or think on anything else. “Nothing will stop me from fighting for our family. Elise and I came here to make sure to bring everyone home, safe and sound. Now, if you tell me to stay behind, know that Marzia and I will come to fight anyway. So include us in your plan before I accidentally ruin it.”

Even Xander had to pause for a moment and be humbled by her words. Camilla sat up straight in her chair, holding her once broken arm as if the pain still lingered, and her expression was nothing short of serious. When it came to family, Camilla never joked. Though he wanted to protect his sister from further harm, he had to admit that she was right and it was better to include her before she messed something up.

“…Very well,” he said, putting his hands on the table, gaining everyone’s attention once more. Though his expression hid it very well, his heart raced as he looked over the retainers in the room, all eyes on him. No matter how many times he had to speak, the nerves still hounded him. He always feared that he would say the wrong thing, that he would drop his regal disposition. Quickly, his eyes glanced to his right, finding Mozu at his side. Though her eyes were determined like the rest, they still held a certain warmth to them that he could not find in anyone else.

_I love you too…Gods, I love you so much._

The meeting room was as cold as the outside, but for a second, he felt their shared warmth as they exchanged those words. His heart calmed, knowing that he loved and was loved in return. Never did he think that such a simple thought could comfort him so.

With new confidence, he turned back to the retainers, standing with his back straight as he made a switch in his voice, using his commanding yet inspiring tone.

“We must end this, once and for all. Tomorrow, we bring the fight to Kilma. Our two objectives are as follows: one, we must secure the safety of Lady Sakura and rescue her, two, we must bring justice to Kilma for his crimes.” Everyone nodded in response. “We will need a small team to find her and bring her back. Flora,” she lifted her head, “have you any ideas?”

“We don’t have a big dungeon,” she said. “Just a couple of cells. I know where those are,”

“Good. Who will you need?”

She looked around the room, crossing her arms. “First, I’ll need an escort,” she said, turning back to him. “We can take an alternate road to the palace, but it will be guarded.”

“If I may,” Camilla said as Flora turned to her, “take my retainer, Beruka. She is an assassin and can assist with escorting and breaking in.” Beruka nodded once, saying nothing else as Flora met her eyes.

“…Alright,” she said. “But, we can’t do it by ourselves,”

“Then take me.” All eyes turned on Mozu’s, as Xander held his breath. “I gotta make sure Sakura’s alright. And I won’t rest ‘till she’s back with us.”

Before Xander could speak, Flora cut him off. “Very well. Lord Xander and Lady Mozu can assist us from the ground,”

“That’s…” Xander managed, “I’m not sure. We still need a commander,”

“What about Leo?” Flora said, gesturing to him. He lifted his head, brows still knit together in a scowl as Xander turned to him. Xander thought of his words carefully and just from taking the time to do so, Leo crossed his arms and tightened his features.

“I had something else in mind. Leo, I wanted you to be the one to face Kilma.” Just like that, his glare softened, but he still kept it in place.

“Did you now,”

“Yes. Kilma is a formidable sorcerer and neither I nor Camilla have what it takes to face someone with such magic power. So, it must be you, Brother.” Leo slowly dropped his arms to his side, looking over everyone else as they waited for his response. Xander knew that after kidnapping Sakura, Kilma’s worst enemy would be Leo. He feared that his brother’s magic training would be sub-par against such a mighty sorcerer, but he was certain that Leo was their best bet.

The younger prince knew that as well. He said nothing except put his hands behind his back and nodding his head to Xander once. The sign seemed more out of respect than an affirmation.

“Good. However, if Leo and I are to be absent, then someone else must take over.” He looked immediately to Camilla, who simply smiled in response.

“Oh no. I’d be all wrong for it…Might I suggest Elise?”

“What?” came the other three siblings.

“Mhmm. Back in Cheve,” she said, looking towards her sister, “you went to every meeting and tried your best to understand each plan,”

“W-Well yeah, but I’ve never actually thought of one! Or led one!”

She chuckled. “You would be a better commander than me. You’re on the ground with everyone else able to heal and fend yourself. Me? I’m in the air constantly where others can’t see or hear me.” Using her good arm, she reached forward and placed a hand on Elise’s shoulder. “You can do it. I believe in you.”

Xander said nothing at first, concern in his eyes. Camilla did have a point in saying that she wouldn’t make the best commander, but was Elise ready? She had not trained to take command in her life, being fourth in line for the throne and the youngest among her three already formidable siblings. Then again, he remembered reading tales of his sisters’ success in Cheve, his father pointing out Elise’s growth in particular. With Leo fighting Kilma and Camilla watching over her, she should be safe. If she had any tactful skill, now was the time to hone it.

“How do you feel?” he asked, breaking the silence. “Think you can do it, Elise?”

She turned her head back and forth, first looking to Camilla, then Leo, then her two retainers who smiled back at her. Facing Xander, she twiddled her thumbs for a moment and knit her brows in deep thought before making fists with her hands. “You can count on me! Xander, you just get Sakura back safe and sound. And Leo, you kick that mean guy’s butt!”

For the first time that day, Leo smiled with a quick laugh. “I’ll do my absolute best.”

“Good,” Xander said, “With everyone in place, this is how we shall proceed…”

For hours, they discussed and planned. Xander listened to each retainer and their suggestions, even the ones that conflicted. Elise really took her new role as commander seriously, laying down the law of the land with her opinions and strategies. All in all, Xander was impressed with his little sister, seeing her slowly grow out of her childish ways and into a princess that those could look up to. She possessed a bubby enthusiasm unseen in commanders and generals, but perhaps that would work in her advantage. Only time would tell. When he dismissed everyone for the night, he could do so without a heavy heart. Their plan was tight and well thought out; there was no chance of failure.

This ordeal ended tomorrow.

As night darkened the sky and chilled the air, Mozu changed into her night clothes and wore her cape again to make her bed. She highly doubted that she could sleep in this chill once more, especially since her worry kept her thoughts awake. Of their plan, she had no doubts, but she prayed that no harm would come to the princess. Sakura had a strong will, but she was still frail, lacking the callousness and sturdiness that Mozu had built over time. Flora mentioned that it would work in Kilma’s favor to keep her unharmed, but, she wasn’t about to put it past the man that ambushed them at dinner.

Again, she looked towards the direction of Xander’s room and pursed her lips together. Last night, she had ended things strangely and today, they put it aside to exchange those words that she had wanted to say for so long. If anything, after a strange turn of events, it would be strange if she _did not_ show up at his door. If anything, she should go just to tell the man she loves goodnight.

Taking a candle, she put on some slippers and made her way down the hall. Mozu kept running her opening lines in her head over and over, but then found the thought idiotic. She didn’t need a good reason to show up at his door. Yet, she hesitated when she stood before it, trying to gather her thoughts. There was so much she wanted to say but blurting it all out at once wouldn’t help. Shaking her head to get those thoughts out, she lifted a hand and knocked.

He waited a second before calling out, “yes?”

“It’s me.” She strolled in and found him sitting at the desk in the corner, reviewing their battle plans. He stood and turned as she closed the door behind her. “Hope you don’t mind,”

“Why would I?” As sweet as his words sounded, they lacked enthusiasm and the light feel that he had when he spoke with her. Obviously, the elephant in the room was what happened when Mozu had visited last night and neither wanted a repeat. With a tight frown, she walked to his bed and sat.

“I wanted to talk,”

“…I assumed,”

“Listen…That question I asked?”

“Mozu--,”

“Just forget it for now,” she said, holding up her hands. “It’s the last thing I want to think about right now. Everyone else needs us and…and if we’re gonna have a big talk about it, then now isn’t the time to have it.”

Xander closed his lips, his shoulders relaxing. He nodded once. “I agree. But there is no guarantee that it will be a big talk,”

“I’m just sayin’,” she said with a shrug. “I’m still trying to figure out what exactly I wanted out of it so…I just wanna forget I asked for now.” One corner of his lips turned into a smile as he walked to her, sitting beside her.

“Agreed. We’ll talk whenever you’re ready,”

“And when you’re ready too,” she said, looking to him. Xander wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her a little closer. She closed her eyes and felt her body calm in relief after getting that out. She knew that the talk was inevitable now, but at least she bought herself some time. Right now, they needed each other, especially for tomorrow.

“Are you nervous?” he asked, his voice now soft like the way he usually spoke to her. “For tomorrow?”

She wanted to tell him that she wasn’t, that she was absolutely sure they would win. “…A bit,” she answered. “I like our plan. It works. I’m just…worried about the stuff outside of our plan.” She inched a little closer, wrapping an arm around him too. As he spoke, she felt the vibrations of his voice in his chest.

“I’ve always worried about the things I could never control,” he said, running some fingers through her hair. The gesture relaxed her further, almost making her sleep right there. “As crown prince, you think you hold so much power, but life is so unpredictable.”

She snorted, “I’ll say,” she said. “Trust me when I say that I didn’t dream of marrying a prince.”

He chuckled. “I didn’t dream of marrying someone I loved.” She turned her head up, meeting him with a warm smile.

“But…ya know.” She put her hand on his chest. “I didn’t think I’d ever leave Hoshido. Didn’t think I’d do something as crazy as pretend to be a princess,”

“Even so,” he pinched his brows together, “I still don’t relish in the fact that you’ve gone through so much to get here. First your village, then your trial.” His hand pressed against her back. “And now this…how is it?”

“My back? It’s…still a little sore. Doesn’t feel too great.”

“…May I see?” Mozu felt color flush to her cheeks, but she knew that he simply worried. She wasn’t sure if showing him would bring him peace of mind, but she would oblige him all the same. After pulling away, she untied the cape and left it beside her, sliding to the edge of the bed. “I-I haven’t looked at ‘em,” she said, slipping down her sleeves. “So I dunno if there’s anything there.”

She flinched once she felt his finger on her top scar. “It’s…” he said, trailing across it, “still red…”

“Oh…” She crossed her arms and pressed her hands against her chest to hide it from the cold.

Xander’s finger stopped at the second scar, pulling away. He put his hands on her sleeves, slipping them back up. “How I wish you didn’t have these scars.” She felt a sudden lump in her throat. “If only I had decided just a minute earlier, if I had spoken--,”

“You weren’t feeling right,” she said, adjusting her night gown and turning around after. “It’s done and you can’t blame yourself forever.”

He sighed, casting his head down as she scooted closer to him. “Even so…” She cupped his cheek, lifting it so she could see him. “You keep suffering needlessly. It’s…it’s hard for me to understand just how much it’s all worth,” he said, worry hinting in his voice.

Mozu frowned, squinting her eyes at him as she sat up. In a strange turn of events, now it was him doubting the circumstances and if they were too much for her. She would have laughed if it was a different situation, but she knew how he felt. Grasping his collar in her hands, her voice forced him to listen. “Are you being serious? What are you talkin’ about? I love you, Xander.” His brows softened, lifting. “And I knew that for a while. I thought that I’d never get to be with you and that I’d have to force myself to let go of you.” She lifted a hand to his cheek, brushing some stray strands away. “And now we’re _so close_. Just a bit more and we’ll be at the altar. So of course I’m gonna hang in there. It’s worth it. _You’re_ worth it.”

She watched his eyes glanced up and down on her person, letting her words sink in. Now is when she noticed that her heart was racing and only began to calm once she finished talking. He finally let go of that frown and looked at her with such yearning, such admiration. She laughed quickly, leaning in and pressing their foreheads together. “Gosh,” she said in a softer voice. “It’s like you don’t believe me,”

He had a hint of playfulness in his voice. “Believe what?” His hand held the back of her neck, fingers running through the hair at the base.

“That I love you.” Now that they had said it for the first time, it spilled from her so casually. Each time she said it, her heart jumped and ached until the next time she would say it again.

Xander’s arm wrapped around her waist, bringing her body closer. “You’re right, perhaps I don’t.” He kissed the corner of her lips before he whispered, “I may need to hear it more often.”

Mozu closed her eyes and with his lips ghosting over hers, she whispered back, “I love you.”

She would never get enough of his kisses. Her arms slid up his chest and to his shoulders, fingers losing themselves in his golden waves. He always smelled so nice, like a mix of a natural earthy musk with a touch of lavender. Though they always started out sweet and slow, her chest always tightened with heat. A touch of hunger emerged from them both, Mozu gripping his shirt to keep them from wandering. Like always, they would pull away when they needed air, slowly reopening their eyes and facing each other.

Xander’s eyes were relaxed and half-lidded, his lips still smiling. Before she knew that they would lean in again, she used the moment to ask. “Can I stay here tonight?”

His brows lifted again and pink faintly covered his cheeks. “Mozu…” There was strain in his voice and from it, she understood what she could have meant.

“I-I didn’t mean! O-oh…” Now red definitely covered her cheeks. “I-I just wanted to sleep with—sleep! Just sleep!”

Xander lifted a fist to his lips, holding back laughs behind it. “Of course you can. Though…” He stood up to blow out the candles on his desk. “I fear what would have happened if you meant the opposite.”

The darkness that ensued covered the expression of flabbergast on her face as the words left him. She was paralyzed with the thought, trying to keep it out of her head as she heard him walk back. “Please forgive me,” he sighed as she snapped out of it. “Such talk isn’t appropriate right now.”

“Y-you’re right…” With an impending battle and Sakura still unsafe, it was definitely inappropriate at the moment. She scooted over as he lifted the blanket from the bed and slipped in next to her. After joining him under the sheets, she rested her head on his chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

“I think,” he said, rubbing her back, “the last time we slept this comfortably, I was still calling you ‘Sakura,’”

“Yeah, huh?” She yawned. “Seems like so long ago but it…kinda wasn’t,”

“It feels distant to me as well,” he said, his chest rising as he inhaled deeply then exhaled. “…I wanted to kiss you then,”

“I remember.” She closed her eyes. “But I knew the truth…I didn’t want to kiss you with that lie,”

“Hm.” It sounded like a half-attempt at a dry chuckle. “We’re already speaking as if we were old and reminiscing everything and we haven’t exchanged vows yet,”

“Well,” she said, smiling, “Even the bad stuff I wanna remember before we do that. Even tomorrow, whatever happens,”

“Tomorrow may not be the end of it. Our relations with the tribe will need a lot of work after Kilma is done,”

“…Don’t matter. It’s a day closer,” she said, lifting her head. “A day closer to us going back home and gettin’ to that altar.” He chuckled. “What?”

“Nothing, I…” His hand found her cheek, fingers brushing by her skin, “I just like how you called it home.”

Huh. So she did. “It is home,” she said, resting her head again. “Let’s sleep. We’ll need our rest,”

“…You’re right,” he said, relaxing and exhaling again. “Good night…I love you.”

She grinned. “I love you too.”

\---

Outside of the fortress, retainers and royals alike were preparing for the battle. They banged the dents out of their armor and fixed the horses, stashing their weapons. Camilla rolled her shoulder and moved her arm that was once broken, wincing slightly but it moved fine nonetheless. Elise’s retainer scrambled to prepare her tome and staves as she paced around, reviewing the battle plans. Flora situated herself with Beruka, neither making conversation as they prepared their weapons. When Leo joined everyone else, he was ready from the start. His armor was fixed and cleaned, his horse armored and ready, and of course, he had Brynhildr in his hand.

Mozu filled her quiver with as many arrows as she could while not stuffing it and creating a mess; she would absolutely not miss any shot to make them all count. Behind her, Xander slid a clean Siegfried into its sheathe, mounting Algol. Once she finished, she sat behind him and rolled her shoulders, taking deep breaths.

Those who were ready walked their horses and mounts outside, stopping in formation and waiting for the rest. The royal siblings stood together in a line, Leo and Elise in the middle. All three looked to their commander, Elise, and awaited her orders.

The princess paused, looking between her siblings as if asking permission to lead. Then, she said a quick “oh, right!” and lifted her arm, turning around. “Alright, we’re gonna go nice and slow, people! Save your energy for the big fight.”

Mozu smiled at her, thinking that maybe the two were more similar than she thought. She hadn’t a clue on how to rule or lead either; maybe they would get along starting with that. The party moved at a moderate pace, not wanting to tire out their mounts before the big battle.

Flora led them down a path that would bring them to the edge of the Tribe, near the waterfall and back corner. There, she and her escort team could skirt behind the falls and reach Sakura from the back.

Elise was in charge of maintaining the front line battle; they would meet their ambush with full resistance. Their goal was not to push, but to prolong, just until Leo defeated Kilma. And he _will_ defeat him.

They reached the edge and stopped, the tribe in full sight. A couple of steps further and they would be in full view of the watchtowers, sounding the alarms. First, the main body had to move first, and converge everyone towards them. Then, the escort team would move out, using the chaos to their advantage.

Leo had to move with the main body, and before they separated, he and his sisters looked back at Xander’s team. His brows were narrow and his lips held a tight frown as he clutched Brynhildr beside him. “Make sure she is safe,” he said, “anything less and I won’t forgive you.”

Xander sat up straight. “I swear not to return until she is with us, safe and sound. You have my word, Brother.”

Leo smirked. “Good. Coming from you, it means quite a lot.”

Elise waved to Xander. “Good luck, you guys. Don’t you worry about us, okay?”

Camilla nodded. “We have full confidence in you.”

“Thank you,” he said. “Godspeed to all of you as well.”

Elise turned again, lifting her arm to gain everyone’s attention. “Alright, everyone! This is it! No more holding back!” She reared her horse on its hind legs and shouted, “Let’s go!” before breaking into a charge.

The retainers shouted battle cries as they followed Elise and not a moment later did the bells of the watchtowers ring. Fighters and mages scaled down the wall to meet them in combat, shouting commands to protect the city. Once the chaos was spread, Beruka lifted her wyvern into the air as Flora looked over at Xander and Mozu. “Let’s go!”

As the wyvern started in the direction towards the falls, Xander spurred Algol and broke into a gallop. They skirted around the perimeter close to the trees to avoid the main fight, but Xander’s eyes kept on his sisters, his brother, and his retainers. Flora’s voice broke him out of concentration. “They found us!”

He whipped his head to see in front of him a couple of Bow Knights coming towards them. The wyvern teetered to one side, avoiding two arrows shot towards it. “They have arrows!” Beruka shouted.

“So do we!” Mozu loaded an arrow into her bow, waiting for the horses to pass them. When they were right next to her, she shot one of the Bow Knights in the hand, knocking away his bow. The other knight had a sword at the ready, meaning it was Xander’s turn. He pulled Siegfried from its sheathe and lifted it right before the knight rode beside them. Mozu ducked as he sliced in a horizontal motion, hitting the knight straight in the chest armor, but not piercing it. The force of his blow was enough to toss him off his horse and leave him in the snow. Before they could celebrate, Mozu heard the sound of an ice spell hurling towards them. “Towards the right!” Xander yanked Algol in that direction, barely missing the spell that came from behind.

“Need me to turn?”

“I got it!” Tightening all of her muscles, Mozu loaded another arrow into her bow and leaned all the way back until she was staring at the mage upside down. This was a terrible and risky position, but she wanted to get to Sakura as fast as possible. Matching her aim with the bouncing movements of the horse, she tore an arrow right through the tome before it could be used again. Using the strength in her core, she sat back up with a groan. Just as she did, she saw Flora fire an ice spell from atop the wyvern, putting up an ice wall behind them.

“We’re going behind the falls!” she shouted from above.

The Ice Tribe’s waterfall was massive; larger than any body of water Xander had seen. Behind the falls, he saw a cave-like hollow platform that would give him enough room to ride, but he wasn’t sure how it would lead him to their destination. He followed the wyvern behind the falls, listening to the echoes of Algol’s steps against the ice in the cave. Just before reaching the end, Flora pointed down and both mounts halted to a stop. She jumped off the descending wyvern and looked back at them. “Let’s leave the mounts here. We’ll be back soon.”

Xander nodded and dismounted, taking Siegfried and its sheath with him as Mozu jumped down as well. Beruka followed behind, making sure no one surprised them from their flanks or blind sides as they ran into the open field. Here, there was no battle, but they still had to be cautious. “Over here.” They followed Flora to the wall where she stopped and lifted her hand. Making a circling motion, she revealed a door and swung it open. “Emergency escape route,” she explained as they followed her inside the tunnel. “Cells are on our side, but there will be guards.”

“Allow me,” Beruka said, speaking for the first time. “I’ll make it easier for you.” Flora held out her arm as a sign to stop once they saw the end of the tunnel. She put a finger to her lips as they listened for the voices on the other side.

“The Nohrians are here?” said one.

“Geeze, that was fast! Make sure none get in!” Flora rolled her eyes as they heard footsteps run and then fade away. She turned to Beruka, giving her a single nod. The assassin reached behind her and pulled out three small knives, holding them between her fingers as she sped forward, her footsteps inaudible. They crept closer at a slower pace to keep up with her yet remain silent.

“Huh?” they heard a guard say, “Hey, what are you—!” Beruka threw two of her knives towards him, pinning his clothes against the wall and keeping him stuck. She whipped her head around as another one raised his axe to cleave at her, elbowing him in the stomach. When he was staggered, she leapt behind him and wrapped her arms around his head in a choke hold. He gasped out, hands clawing at hers but she kept him in place. By the time the others ran in, he was unconscious and slouching in her arms. “Oh shit, Nohrians!” shouted the other. “He—!”

Xander turned and brought his fist down on his head, knocking him out as well.

“Huh,” Flora said, looking between them, “good job,”

“I always finish my mission,” Beruka said, taking her throwing knives from the guard on the wall. “What’s next?”

Flora gestured for them to follow, leading them down a short hallway that ended with stone steps. “This will take us to the basement. Expect more guards,” she said, looking back. Mozu took an arrow from her quiver just in case as they turned the corner. As Flora said, four guards were running towards them, presumably having heard the scuffle below.

Mozu shot at the furthest one, who happened to be a mage. She shot the tome out of his hands and maneuvered past the other ones, taking her bow in both hands. Before the mage could ready another spell, she whacked him with her bow, knocking him down.

The fighter closest to them swung his axe, which Xander blocked with his sword. He pushed the fighter back with a kick and swung with Siegfried once to knock the axe out of his hands. Then, with the hilt of his sword, he brought down a blow onto his head to rend him unconscious.

Flora took the fighter furthest away from them, using her ice magic to freeze his feet in place. After Beruka finished dueling with the other guard, leaving a knife in his leg, she dashed forward to the frozen fighter. She jumped and delivered a hard kick to his face, watching the ice break from the force of it as he fell on his back. With the guards either unconscious or groaning in pain, it was time to leave them.

“Down here.” They turned the corner and found themselves in a hallway with steel doors, only one of them guarded by two lancers.

Just as they turned their heads to see them, Beruka charged. She took out another knife and threw it in the shoulder of the furthest one. He cried out in pain before his eyes rolled back and he fell to the floor. She dodged the first lance attack that the other one dealt, and like last time, ended up behind him. For a second time, Mozu got to see the impressive yet uncomfortable choke hold that would rend him unconscious.

Flora ran to the poisoned guard, checking his pockets. “I didn’t find a key,” she said. “Do you think—“

Xander stopped in front of the door and kicked it open with full force, breaking the lock off its hinges. Mozu heard Sakura’s yelp when he did and dashed into the room. She saw the princess standing there in shock, but once she saw Mozu, she grinned. “Mozu!”

“Sakura!” She ran to her, holding her tightly in her arms as the princess did the same. “Oh, thank gods you’re okay. Did he hurt you?”

“No, no I’m okay,” she said shaking her head as Mozu pulled away. “And you’re okay too. I’m glad,”

“Oh, don’t worry ‘bout me,” she said, taking her hand. “C’mon, we’re gonna get you outta here.”

Sakura nodded, looking past Mozu to see the other three. She frowned as she was led out of the cell. “Wh-where’s Leo?”

Xander looked back. “He’s going after Kilma,” he said. “If we’re lucky, perhaps he’ll be done when we reach Camilla and the others.”

“And then?” she asked.

“And then we’ll be done,” Mozu said as they made their way down the hall.

Flora stopped. “Wait.” They did, turning back. “Actully, you four go back. I’m staying here,”

“What?” Xander said. “Why?”

“It’s Felicia.” She frowned, eyes narrowing. “I’m worried. She’s caught between me and my father, so I don’t know if they’re keeping her somewhere or not. I have to make sure they won’t try making her chieftain once Leo finishes him off.”

Xander sighed. “Very well,” he said. “Stay safe, Flora.” She nodded as they resumed rushing down the hall.

Though he didn’t show it, relief sighed through Xander as Sakura ran alongside them, keeping close to Mozu. She was unharmed, meaning that he held up his end of the plan. He only hoped that Leo could fulfill his.

* * *

Leo had to save his energy for the upcoming duel. The problem was actually finding the man amongst all of this chaos. So far, he hadn’t run into any trouble, but he attributed that to Elise’s expert handling of their battle plan. She directed orders and healed passing retainers, giving them words of encouragement that many other commanders would not have bothered saying. Sure, it was a little childish, but it seemed to be working.

“Leo!” he looked up when he heard his elder sister’s shout, watching her descend next to him. “I found him,”

“Kilma?” She nodded and he felt a jolt inside of his chest.

“He’s up top,” she said, pointing towards the plateau where the waterfall started. “Looked like he was going to start another blizzard,”

“Then let’s get to him before he can,” he said, hopping off Rasalas and hitting her side so she could scurry off. He lifted himself onto the wyvern behind Camilla and said, “I prefer an isolated stage anyhow.”

Camilla kicked on Marzia’s sides and tugged the wyvern so she lifted into the air. Usually, Leo was one to avoid riding flying menaces like wyverns, but his comfort was the last thing on his mind. He leaned over and peered towards the plateau, seeing a pale figure come into view with swirling white winds around him. Definitely Kilma preparing another blizzard. Camilla dove forward, dropping to reach Kilma as fast as possible. Once he was at a good height, Leo tossed himself off the wyvern and opened his tome. Just before he hit the icy ground, branches formed underneath and caught him, lowering him safely to the ice.

Kilma’s words ceased the incantation and the white winds died down as he saw Leo across from him. Behind them was nothing more than the flat icy ground and the sounds of war and the roaring water.

After Leo dismissed the branches, Kilma came closer, his tome ready, but he kept his distance. “Prince Leo.” Just seeing his face and hearing his voice made Leo’s fingers twitch as his blood boiled. “Facing me alone? Or am I to expect a cowardly ambush?”

Leo’s scowl darkened. “It’s just you and me, Kilma,” he said, spatting at his name. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes until he exhaled as he lifted Brynhildr before him. Leo let go of the tome, letting it float in front of him as he rolled back his shoulders, staring down his opponent.

Kilma smirked, a dry chuckle leaving him. He did the same with his pale blue tome, keeping a hand floating over it. “Hmph. Such confidence coming from a little prince,” he said. “My years of experience and training far outweigh yours, boy.”

Leo clenched his fist, also holding a hand over his tome, beginning to circle around him. “You have no idea what it took for me to get here. All I know is that it is enough to kill you.”

Kilma’s shoulders jumped as if he would laugh again, also circling around Leo as they kept their eyes focused on each other. “I can’t wait to see you try.” Leo caught the glint in his eye just before he made a slicing motion with his hand over the tome. In a straight line towards him, the icy ground lifted into spikes speeding towards him. Leo grabbed Brynhildr and leapt out of the way, opening the tome once more.

 _You’ve been good to me so far_ , he thought, waving his hand over it. _Don’t let me down!_ Thick trunk-like vines broke through the ice around Kilma, attempting to ensnare him in a trap. But, the sorcerer was quick and with a flick of his fingers, encased the vines in ice. Leo’s eyes bulged as Kilma took a step forward, the frozen vines breaking into shards. His eyes glanced down once Kilma readied another spell and in a moment of pure reflex, Leo created a tree underneath him to elevate him from the ground. Sure enough, once Kilma’s spell was ready, it shot an ice beam at the ground where Leo’s feet used to be, freezing the trunk of the tree.

“Hah!” Kilma said, holding his tome, “You’re much more perceptive than I thought,”

“And you have yet to impress me.” Kilma’s smirk curled into a frown. Leo took the chance to cast another spell from his tree, forming spikes along its trunk. He snapped his fingers and the spikes shot out of the tree faster than a horse’s gallop. Kilma knelt down and touched the floor, raising an ice shield over himself just before the spikes could pierce him. As the tree disappeared, Leo watched the spikes crack the ice over and over until they broke the shield. By that time, only a few had remained and two grazed Kilma’s arms on either side. He grunted in pain, shrugging it off to stand as red streaks trickled down his arms.

“Brynhildr,” he said, smirking, “the legendary tome. It pains me to see it in the hands of such an amateur.” Leo felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as it took all he had to not charge him head on. “When I’m done with you, I’ll relieve it from your hands. I promise to make better use of it than you ever would,”

“Over my dead body,” he growled, gathering magic energy in his palm. The air around him charged with magic as he felt the ground rumble beneath them. With every ounce of concentration he had, Leo lifted his hand and broke off large chunks of rock from beneath the ice, creating a ring of them around him. They circled him, ready to be flung at his command.

Kilma grit his teeth and floated his tome before him, using both hands for his next spell. Three large icicle pillars sprouted from the ground, each one taller and wider than Kilma. He tossed the right-most one against Leo, like a large lance. With the flick of his wrist, the prince was able to lobby two of his rocks towards it, breaking all three upon impact. Leo did this again with the left-most one and the middle one until he had one large rock left. Just as Kilma had finished sending off his last pillar, Leo flung it towards him, catching him off guard. The chieftain was hit in the chest as he fell back, crying out in pain. Leo lowered his hand to drop the rock on him, but Kilma rolled out of the way, holding his chest. Narrowing his eyes, Leo heard the crackling of ice coming nearer until a spike pierced from the ground right next to him. The end if it cracked through his armor and lodged into his side, sharp pains running through his blood. He cried out as it retreated back, holding his side. Gritting through the pain, Leo lifted his head and saw Kilma standing, slightly hunched over.

They waited, trying to predict each other’s next move until Kilma broke into a charge. Leo took a step back as he watched him use his tome to create an ice sculpture like a frozen wave. His feet slid along its curves, reaching Leo faster than he would have thought. With no time to retaliate, Leo turned his back on him and created a tree behind him to block any attack. The immense force of the ice shards destroyed the tree upon impact, but it gave Leo time to run. He clutched his side, trying to put distance between them and ignore the throbbing. Just as he took another step, the ice sprung from under him, tossing him off his feet a good distance into the air. After the initial disorient, Leo reached for Brynhildr to create another soft landing, but an agonizing stab pierced through his stomach and his eyes went black for a second. He let out a shuddering gasp as his gravity worked against him, skewering him further. He would have screamed if the ice shard through him hadn’t disappeared, dropping him to the ground. Leo kneeled and gasped, holding his chest as the blood stained the ice and his hand. His entire body shook and the throbbing came fast with each rapid heartbeat. He heard Kilma’s laugh as his feet came into view. Before he could look up, Kilma grabbed a chunk of his hair in his fist, lifting his head.

“Oh, this will be a day remembered forever, even after we disappear.” Leo struggled to breathe and paid no mind to his words, staring him down to the best of his ability. Before Kilma could get another word in, Leo flicked his wrist and hurled a large vine towards Kilma from beside him. It punched him back, knocking him off his feet as Leo staggered to stand up and rub his head, leaving spots of blood on his hair and cheek. His head pulsated with pain, his vision blurring.

“Dammit…” He shook his head as Kilma stood back up with a sneer.

“Wrong move, boy!” With the wave of his hand, he sent another rain of ice shards toward Leo, who used the same tree technique to take the hits for him. This time, he had to stay in place to reinforce it and make sure it did not break like last time. “What did you think would happen?” Just as Leo lowered the tree, Kilma was there waiting. “You’re in my domain!” Before Leo could react, Kilma sent a furious wind strike against him, tossing him further with a harsh landing on his back. “You have nothing on me!” Leo reached for Brynhildr that had been tossed out of his hand, but Kilma was already in front of him. He snapped his fingers and Leo found the force of the ice underneath him making him stand. Kilma encased Leo’s body in a wall of ice, leaving only his head out. He tried his best to struggle against it, but he was trapped.

Leo looked past Kilma towards his tome, trying to twitch some movement in his hand to summon it. “Br…Brynhildr…” Kilma turned and walked to the tome, bending over to pick it up. “You…you leave that alone!”

“I never thought this day would come,” he said, tossing his previous tome onto the ground. “That I would finally feel free. That I could taste victory against Nohr in my own lifetime.” He slowly turned as Leo’s eyes darted between him and his precious tome in the wrong hands.

“That tome belongs to me,” he said, voice low. “Release it!”

He smirked, holding it before him. No, it couldn’t work. It couldn’t. Brynhildr flung open, its pages flipping fast as if it were in a storm. Kilma took a step back, whistling. “What a tome! Such incredible power…”

“Stop it!”

He put his hand over it, ceasing its rapid movement. “Hah, acts as if it has a mind of its own.” Leo watched in defeat as his beloved tome took on a seething red aura. He wasn’t sure if he was hearing things from the delirium of blood loss, but a wretched scream tore through his mind. The tome shuddered in Kilma’s palm as he lifted his free hand and Leo suddenly realized what situation he was in right now.

 _No, no it can’t end this way_. He felt heat pricking his eyes. _Not by Brynhildr_. He saw the familiar blue energy pool in Kilma’s hand, feeling the exact same charge as he usually did. _Not by this bastard…not when I haven’t seen Sakura_. He tried struggling again but he was devoid of energy, his armor now turning cold. _Not when I haven’t told her…_

He lifted his head when he heard thick vines crack through the ice, its pointed edges staring straight at him. Never before had Leo thought that he would see the other end of this terrifying image; the vines always slithered like snakes, staying still just before they darted in on their pray. The way the sunk themselves into his enemies was like watching a vicious cobra bite into a mouse. And now, he was the mouse. “And with this!” Kilma shouted, “I bring upon the downfall of Nohr!” He made a slicing motion with his hand, sending the vines towards Leo.

The prince shut his eyes, awaiting the impact. _No, this can’t happen! My tome would never…would never!_ “ _Brynhildr_!”

His cry echoed throughout the plateau, not a sound resonating after. Leo expected the vines to have pierced him by now to tear him apart, but he felt nothing. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw them frozen in place, just inches away. After realizing he had been holding his breath for so long, Leo gasped out, seeing his frozen breath before him as he looked forward.

Kilma was in the same position as before, but his face looked strained and tight. “I…I can’t…” Brynhildr suddenly floated away from him, closing its cover as the jewel seemed to stare at him. “Wh-what?!”

The voices were now too loud to be in Leo’s head. Whispers muttering incoherent words spoke from the tome. Then, the whispers grew louder with anger seething from them, the words spilling out faster until it sounded like ominous chanting. Both Leo and Kilma wore expressions of shock and confusion, gaping only at the tome between them. The vines pointing at Leo whipped around, their sharp ends staring at Kilma now.

Suddenly, the loud voice of a woman rang through the entire plateau, loud enough to have been heard by the fighters below. “ _THOU ART SO FOOLISH_.” Leo couldn’t believe his ears, hearing such an indignant fury coming from seemingly nowhere. The red aura from Brynhildr broke off and the vines charged. They converged on Kilma’s extended arm, stabbing themselves through and cutting his hand clean off. He let out a blood-curdling shout as the hold around him ceased, causing him to fall to his knees. “ _THOU WHO THINKS THEY MAY WIELD ME_.”

The ice wall around Leo shattered and without its support, he felt himself falling. Just after it disappeared, Leo’s eyes bulged when he felt two hands wrap around him, holding him up. When he looked down, they were ethereal, glowing with a yellow aura. He glanced up and gasped upon seeing a tall woman holding him, her long golden hair waving behind her. She wore old armor that he hadn’t seen in this day or age, and she kept focused only on Kilma. “Wh…who?” he breathed.

The woman glanced down, her beautiful face framed by a crown of wings as she smiled. As the tome returned to him and opened, Leo new immediately who it was. “…Brynhildr.”

She spoke with an echo within her voice, like the small whispers had combined into her. “ _Yes, mine Chosen._ ” Then, her smile dropped into a tight frown as she looked forward. “ _Thou hast sinned!_ ” she spat at Kilma. “ _I only obey one, and that is mine Chosen!_ ” As Brynhildr took her arms away from him, Leo stood on his own, watching as the tome presented itself before him. With her standing behind him, he felt a warmth that he hadn’t before. His blood surged with power as she put her hands on his shoulders. “ _I will grant you mine power_ ,” she told him, sliding her hands down to his. “ _But you must trust me, mine Chosen._ ”

As Leo stared down at Kilma kneeling on the ground, holding his bleeding arm, the chieftain glared as he took hasty breaths, still managing a death-defying glare as he stared it straight in the face. Right now, nothing would bring him more satisfaction than destroying him and taking his life. And this time, he would not hesitate. Leo’s brows furrowed as he spoke with resolution. “I trust you. Help me, Brynhildr.”

Leo felt Brynhildr’s spirit step into him and energy surged through him at once. He closed his eyes and images flashed through his mind. Scenes of a terrible war, one right after the other. Then, an image of looking in the mirror. He saw Brynhildr, but with an actual body with colored skin and eyes, wearing the armor that he had seen. And then, he saw another image: her hand extended out to a strong man, dressed in the armor of a warrior.

 _Memories_ , he thought. _These are your memories…_

 _Indeed they are,_ she replied _. But focus not on them._

Leo opened his eyes and found himself floating in the air, looking down at not only Kilma, but the rest of the fighters below. The small figures had stopped, not moving even an inch. He thought nothing of it, but now, his movements were in the control and care of someone else. The wind picked up around him, the air charging with energy like he had never felt before. He felt absolutely no pain from any of his wounds, felt no fatigue from the previous duel. His eyes glowed with the light of her magic. Below him, starting from a center, circles and rings of runes emerged with a bright light, circling below him. Under his breath, their voices melded together as they softly spoke the incantation. _I will make him pay_ , she said. _And crush even his soul so he may not have an afterlife._

And at the moment, Leo wanted nothing more than that. He wanted justice done not only for himself, but his brother, his sisters, their retainers. For Sakura.

Sakura. He had all but forgotten, even though she fueled the rage that allowed him to fight. Leo’s thoughts cleared as he saw thick vines rise around Kilma. They wrapped around his arms and legs, lifting him to match eye-level with Leo. Now, his once defiant face was replaced with one of pure fear. His eyes were wide, his jaw slack as his bottom lip quivered.

Leo and Brynhildr’s voices spoke together. “Kilma! You have enacted crimes against Nohr! Of this we find you guilty! Your sentence is death!” From the ground behind Kilma emerged the largest tree that Leo had ever summoned, easily seen by anyone from below. With flick of his wrist, it cut down the middle like teeth and split open. The “teeth” extended and grabbed Kilma pulling him into the chasm of the tree.

“Milord, wait!”

He lowered his hand and the tree began to quickly shrink down, intending to take Kilma with it. The chieftain screamed out once more and just before he would have hit the ground, the tree stopped.

Leo stared in bewilderment as he saw Sakura’s face again flash before him. He wanted it to be happy and supportive, but she stared at him with horror. His heart tightened, feeling her rejection all over again. Even now, when he had the permission and the ultimate power to finish him off, he couldn’t.

… _Mine Chosen?_ she asked.

“I can’t,” Leo said, his voice lacking Brynhildr’s as he lowered himself to the ground. “I…I just can’t.” Sakura’s words rang in his mind. “There has to be a better way.”

He felt Brynhildr leave him and stand behind him as the tree and teeth holding Kilma flashed into particles of magic, dropping him on the ground. Kilma took gasping breaths but soon calmed himself in the silence. He chuckled, then the chuckle evolved into a steady laugh. As he sat up, he stared Leo straight in the face, laughing at him like he was a jester.

“Weakling…weakling! The tome wants to kill me more than you do!”

Leo barely had to move for Brynhildr to read his mind. She lifted a hand and smaller vines formed around Kilma’s arms, binding him. She forced him to kneel with his head on the ground after, keeping him in place.

“ _Mine Chosen_ ,” she repeated. “ _I can see her as well_.”

“Sakura…” He turned to face her. “I can’t help but feel like there’s a better way than this.”

“ _He must die_ ,” she pressed,

“Yes…but not by my hand.” Leo looked back at Kilma and pressed his lips together. If not his hand, then whose? Xander’s wouldn’t make it any better; that’s not what Sakura meant. She lived in a kingdom with little conflict that was solved with diplomacy. The way it should be, he guessed. They were past diplomacy already. But, more than anything, she wanted to understand. She wanted to hear their angry cries and figure out the root of the problem.

Gods. No wonder she was upset; he had gone against the very philosophy that he had praised her for so long: finding the root instead of slashing it altogether. If it worked with her healing, then perhaps it could work here.

“…I have decided,” he said, going to him. “Kilma, I hereby arrest you with the crime of attempted murder towards the royal family.”

He scoffed with a low laugh. “And do you find me guilty of that? Are you going to sentence me as well?”

“No.” He knelt down. “I will let Nohr’s court decide that. You will be tried with a judge and jury and they will determine your guilt and punishment.”

Leo stood and turned back to Brynhildr as she smiled warmly at him. He took a step forward, wanting to say something else but the sound of heavy, flapping wings distracted him. He looked up and saw two wyverns descending towards him. He could make out their riders now and his eyes found the one with pink hair and red clothes, his heart surging as they met eyes.

“Leo!” Once the wyvern were a couple of feet off the ground, having not even landed, Sakura jumped off and ran to his open arms. When she collided with him, it was now that he felt winded, his head all of a sudden throbbing. Yet, he held her close, relief swelling over him to see her in one piece.

“Sakura…” He leaned his head down, smelling her flowery scented hair once again as her arms wrapped around him. “You’re okay…oh, I’m so glad you’re okay.”

By now, the others including Camilla, Xander, Mozu, and Beruka had caught up with them. Leo heard surprise in Camilla’s voice as she said, “Hey, who is this?”

Everyone gawked at Brynhildr, no doubt from her size and ethereal form. She turned to Xander, tilting her head. “ _Siegfried?_ ”

Suddenly, Siegfried in Xander’s hilt began to shudder as he looked down. He reached down to touch it, but then a purple aura burst from the sword, pooling in front of him. Everyone gasped and took a step back as the aura formed into the shape of a man. Leo immediately recognized him from Brynhildr’s memories, everything from his armor and outline.

“ _Brynhildr_.” His voice echoed like hers, sounding not of this world. Xander’s eyes widened, glancing between his sword and the figure in front of him.

“ _Siegfried. Oh, it has been too long_ ,”

“ _Seeing you for but a second makes the wait bearable_.” He chuckled.

“ _Until next time. If I should stay longer_ …” She looked away.

“ _I understand_. _Until next time._ ”

Both figures suddenly vanished, leaving trails of magic along their respective weapons. Xander staggered and held his head, groaning as Mozu caught him before he fell back. “Xander?”

Then, Leo felt all of his senses dull. His vision blurred and he lost his hearing, his limbs feeling numb. The pain in his head, side, and chest, were excruciating, enough to make him see white. He heard Sakura call his name as his eyes rolled back, feeling gravity pull his back towards the ice.

“Leo!” Sakura cried as he fell onto the ground. She knelt beside him, pressing her fingers against his neck to feel for a pulse. It was faint, but he had one. “Oh Gods…” She cupped his cheek, noticing the cuts on his face. Her eyes trailed down, seeing the bloodstained blotches of armor from the wound in his chest and the one in his side. How he managed to stand and ignore them was beyond her. She cradled him in her arms, applying pressure to stop the bleeding for now. “I’ll get you help, just hang on.”

From behind her, she heard Mozu ask, “Are you okay?” to Xander.

“F-Fine. I just had a sudden splitting headache.” Camilla walked past them towards Kilma still kneeling on the ground.

“Is he…?”

Kilma lifted his head, his hair spilling over as sweat caked to his skin. “I’m still alive.” Camilla took a step back. “Your prince didn’t have the guts to kill me. The full power of his tome in his hands and still.” Sakura perked her head up, looking towards the chieftain. “Said he would feed me to the Nohrian court for trial.”

“For trial?” Camilla asked, turning back to Xander. “What do you think?”

The elder prince stood up straight, looking down at Kilma. “A trial would ensure his death anyway. I suppose this way, Nohr can hear his grievances.”

Sakura looked back down at the resting Leo in her arms, relief suddenly taking her heart. If Leo was so calm when they reunited, then this had to have been his choice. Kilma deserved death one way or another, but this way, there would be justice. There would be a judge, and a jury, and an executioner, but no one acting as all three. Leo didn’t have to act as all three. If what Xander said was true, then perhaps Nohr would learn from their mistakes and prevent it from ever happening. A warm smile happened on her lips as she leaned down, gently kissing his forehead.

“Thank you,” she whispered. It was a humble start, but a push in the right direction. Leo could walk away from the dark.

“S-so,” came Mozu. “What now?”

“Well,” Xander said, “if Kilma is captured now and arrested, then we have completed all objectives.” Pride rose in his voice. “We have won the day. It’s over.”

Over. Finally over. Those were words everyone could get behind.

“Did you hear that?” she whispered to Leo. “It’s finally over…”

* * *

Mikoto sat by the window, her eyes staring wistfully at the capital town below her, ever bright and bustling. She had forgotten about the tea she was drinking, allowing it to grow cold as her thoughts occupied her.

She heard a knock at the door but did not look back when it opened. “Mother,” called Hinoka’s voice as she walked in. “I came to check on you, if that’s okay.” No response. “…Mother?”

“Hinoka.” Mikoto stood up, turning to the princess. “Would you like to see your sister?”

Hinoka’s brows lifted. “Wh-what? See Sakura? But how?” Mikoto simply smiled.

“Better yet, I was wondering if you wanted to go to her wedding,”

“Wedding?...Wedding!” Hinoka narrowed her brows. “What are you talking about? I thought she was married to Prince Xander right when she got there! And I thought we couldn’t go because of—“ She paused as she noticed Mikoto still smiling, her demeanor calm. “…What’s…going on?”

“I’ll explain the best I can,” she said, walking to her. “But go tell your brothers. Oh, and have Takumi’s betrothed finish the white kimono,”

“White kimo--, okay, you know, I’m just gonna go,” she said, holding up her hands. “Just gonna go now!” She turned on her heels and dashed out, leaving Mikoto with a soft giggle.

She couldn’t wait to see how everything turned out in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooo thanks for reading. I hope you liked that part with Brynhildr since I've been saving that for a while. I like to think that she would only manifest like that when someone extreme happens like attempting to kill Leo with herself. Not good.
> 
> Anyway thanks for all of the comments, kudos, and bookmarks, as always. I love you all!


	23. Blue Skies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh this chapter was really hard for me to write. So many little things. I wanna thank the people that beta'd for me too an helped me trudge through it. You're the best!

**Blue Skies**

 

When Leo regained consciousness, it wasn’t all at once. His eyes didn’t open at first, but his mind felt clearer than a dream. He couldn’t move his fingers or his toes but he could feel the splitting headache that hammered at all sides of his head. Then, when he inhaled, stinging pain shot through his veins from his stomach and side, throbbing when he moved even less than an inch. Thus, the first thing that came from his dry, hoarse voice was, “fuck.”

He grit his teeth together, eyes still shut as he put his arms on either side of him, applying his weight on them. They wobbled as he lifted his upper body, his wounds tearing more stings through him as he groaned in pain. He heard footsteps shuffling towards him and a familiar soft voice call his name. One hand held his head as another stopped on his chest, as if telling him to rest. Even with his eyes closed, he could recognize such silky palms and tender gestures anywhere. A smile crept on his voice as he uttered her name from his parched throat. “Sakura…” His voice did no justice to its beauty, but some of his suffering seemed to ease at it nonetheless. His eyes drew open at a snail’s pace, sensitive to the light after being closed for so long. When her face came into focus, he saw her brows turning up in worry as her eyes glanced him up and down.

“Just hold on,” she said, easing his back against a pillow resting on the headboard. “You need water.” He wasn’t about to contest that. She slipped away quicker than he would have liked but she returned a moment after, sitting on the edge of the bed with a cup of water. Now that he stared at the liquid, he realized how parched his throat was and how chapped his lips were. He couldn’t wait any longer and he took the cup from her hands, lifting it to his lips and tipping it up. “L-Leo! Slow down!” she said. Water always tasted like nectar when one is so thirsty and though it burned his sore throat going down, it brought him relief nonetheless. When he finished, he coughed once, the hole in his stomach not enjoying it one bit. He grunted and put a hand over himself, taking steady breaths. “S-See?” she said, taking the cup from him.

With his mind coming back, Leo asked the first thing that was on it. “Where’s Kilma?”

Sakura frowned, setting the cup on the table. “He’s in custody. Said you wanted to bring him to trial instead…is that true?”

Leo nodded as the memories rushed back to him. Yes, he certainly remembered having that intention, even going so far as to stop Brynhildr from killing him. Oh Gods, Brynhildr! He turned his head to the side, noticing the tome resting on the desk next to him, safe and sound. Nothing could make him forget her face, her voice. Never before did he ever feel so much power running through his veins and it was exhilarating. Alas, the pain of his head and body returned, and he suspected that the toll of his body was the price he had to pay. “Gods…how long have I been out?”

She sighed, shoulders dropping. “T-two days. I was getting really worried.”

“T-two?” He coughed, groaning at the end of it. “Damn, that…that explains a lot.” And now he understood the mystery of his both insatiable yet weak appetite. “So what’s happened?”

“Ah, Flora is chieftain now,” she said, slipping her hand over his. “Xander and Mozu have been spending most of their time negotiating. It’s been going pretty well.” A smile lit on her face, bringing him some much needed comfort. “She likes Mozu a lot.” Leo wanted to frown at that, but he kept his expression neutral. He might have been the only one to not have a great relationship with the commoner, after sentencing her to a gods-awful amount of lashes, then blaming her for Sakura’s kidnapping. It would take a thousand apologies for sure; he couldn’t very well be on rocky terrain with Sakura’s best friend. Or his brother’s fiancée. And it wasn’t as if he had anything against her, per say. She was foolishly brave as Xander put it, but better that than a coward.

“I see,” he said, “how soon are we expecting to depart?”

“They’re almost done,” Sakura said, reaching over and brushing some of his hair with her fingers. “But you might need a couple of more healing sessions before you can ride,”

“Indeed…” He looked down his shirt, seeing the gauze wrapped around his midriff. “And you?” he asked, glancing back up. “What have you been doing?”

Sakura brushed some hair behind her ear, but like always, it fell back around her cheek. “A-ah, well…been here mostly. Checking your vitals and making sure you were okay…”

“Oh…” he felt heat on his cheeks. “You did that?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “I hope that I didn’t keep you.”

She shook her head. “Not at all. I, uh…” She scooted a little closer. “I wanted to be here wh-when you woke up. Uhm…I w-wanted to tell you…” A deep breath. “Thank you.” Leo blinked once, brows lifting. “For sparing Kilma.”

He scoffed. “Trust me. After his trial, I don’t think one could consider that mercy.”

She shook her head, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I know that. I meant _you_ ,” she said. “You’re a prince; it’s not your burden to judge and execute. It never was.” Her hand slipped down to his, squeezing it between her fingers. “And this way, it’s better. It’s justice, but through the proper channels. Still…still not great, but…”

In that moment, he remembered what he had wanted to say to her earlier. He squeezed her hand back but took a moment to gather his thoughts instead of rambling incoherently. “I saw your face,” he said. “Just before I was about to kill him…both times. When he took you and then when Brynhildr and I…” He shook his head.

“W-well…” she said, voice going low, “i-in the end, I would have l-let you,”

“But it wouldn’t have pleased you, would it?” Her silence gave him her answer. “I know this trial will prolong that madman’s life more than it needs to be, and it very well may be a thorn in my side, but, you’re right.” She lifted her head. “It is justice. Plus,” he chuckled, but then instantly regretted it when the pain shot through his torso again, “I would love to see how he justifies himself in front of the Nohrian court.”

At that, the neutral expression from her lips faded into a frown, her brows pinching. Never did Leo think that a subtle expression of disappointment would make him so fearful, especially from someone like her. Or, perhaps it was because it was _from_ someone like her. “Yes.” She even had to subdue her tone. “About that,”

“D-did he tell you anything?...”

“Yes, he did. Did you know about the seeds and men, Leo?” she asked. The color drained from his face as his heart raced. Because he waited so long to answer, Sakura knew the truth already. “You did know?” Now there was a hint of sadness in her voice, one that nearly broke his heart again. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I…” He frowned in response, glancing down at their hands. Leo tried keeping hers with his but she pulled it away, crossing her arms.

“Just tell me,” she said, her tone less harsh. “Please…”

It wasn’t as if he could resist her. With a deep sigh, he began. “I think…a part of me didn’t want to admit that it happened. I wanted to negotiate and pretend that I didn’t have those events and every other atrocity weighing me down. Now I see the foolishness of that mistake.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “And another part of me didn’t want to discourage you.” Sakura lifted her brows at that. “To make you think that there was a chance that we could’ve failed. I didn’t want to ruin your optimism that, in the end, we needed.”

He waited for her answer, the silence making it worse as her expression remained unchanged. Opening his mouth to speak, she cut him off with her own words. “Well can you…not do that?”

“H…huh? Do what?”

“Not tell me things. Especially things like this!” She pouted. “You said it yourself that Hoshido has coddled me, and even if that statement hurts, it’s true.” Now his expression matched hers. “But if you don’t tell me important things like that, then how are you any different?” His heart sank, finding the hypocrisy in his words as she continued. “How am I supposed to help if I don’t know these things? The background, the roots, what I’m dealing with?”

“…I-I’m sorry,” he said, “I didn’t think about that…”

Sakura paused before she held his cheek in her palm. “Leo…” her voice returned to the soothing presence it usually was, “Just talk to me more. I…I know I wasn’t as good accepting all the bad stuff earlier, but…” She leaned forward. “I-I want to know it all. I’m thankful for you sparing him, but...but I don’t want you to do these things b-because you’re afraid o-of me.” And just like that, his shoulders relaxed and he leaned into her touch, feeling her warm hand against his skin. “S-so I want to know. I want t-to talk. I want to help.”

Leo let her words sink in, warming his heart. He knew that they were still on opposite sides when it came to right and wrong, but they were coming closer and closer with each baby step. It will take a lot of work to reach the middle, but if she was willing to trek through it, then so was he. And he had to admit, doing things her way lifted some of the burden off his heavy heart. He could get used to that. Lifting a hand to hers, he took it away from her cheek and interlaced their fingers. Smiling, he managed to say, “How did I come to deserve you?”

In that moment, he watched her determined expression fade away. Her eyes widened and her lips made a small “O” as pink peppered her cheeks. “U-uhm…” From her free hand, she put her fingers over her lips, hiding behind them as he laughed before his wounds reminded him of their presence once again. He coughed and held his stomach, groaning once the fit was done.

“Agh…” His voice was strained, barely sounding. “Son of a bitch,”

“H-hold on!” She pulled away from him and picked up the Mend staff next to the night desk, returning with it in her hands. “Just h-hold still…”

Sakura took the edge of his shirt and lifted it enough just to reveal the gauze that he wore. She summoned the healing magic from the staff, letting it twirl around her fingers before applying it to his chest. Leo had been healed many times by other troubadours and maids, including his sister, but her touch felt so different. For one, it didn’t have the urgency or laborious connotation healings usually had where he wished for nothing more than for it to be over. Her healing touch felt tender and warm with quite the opposite effect where he wished for it to prolong. The soothing magic eased a good portion of the pain, enough so that he could move without being harrowed by it. Once the magic ended, Leo inhaled through his nose, extending his chest with ease and breathing out in relief. “Thank you. That is…much better,”

“And your head?” she asked, setting the staff against the wall. “Y-you haven’t eaten in two days.”

Oh, he was well aware. “I know. But I can wait.” He reached for her hand, bringing her closer. It might have been the delirium from his headache, but unlike earlier, Leo allowed his mouth to say whatever he thought of in the moment. “I missed you.” He had pulled her close enough for her to hang onto his shoulders, their foreheads nearly touching.

“…I-I m-missed you t-too,” she said, managing a shy smile. Leo snaked an arm around her, thankful to have her so close to him again. It was all he wanted when they fought not too long ago, when he saw Kilma take her. But that was all in the past, and she was with him now. “Leo…” She giggled. “Y-you need to eat. I need to get you food—,”

She tried pulling away, but he kept her in place. “Do you have to?” he asked as she grinned. “Stay just a bit longer…” He leaned in, kissing her cheek. “Please?” Just as he leaned into the corner of her mouth, she pulled her head away with a playful whine.

“Yes, I do, or you’ll get worse,” she said, slipping out of his touch and putting her feet on the floor. Leo sighed in defeat as she made her way to the door. Once her fingers touched the knob, Leo said the next thing which was on his mind.

“I love you.” Just as Sakura opened the door an inch, she pushed it closed, and whipped her head around to face him. Leo’s expression remained unchanged from his lazy, yet warm smile as her cheeks turned red.

“Wh-what d-did y-you s-say?”

“I love you.” In all honesty, he thought that this moment would have occurred at an inopportune time with his siblings—or worse, his retainers—in the area to hear it and tease him. Then he would have sputtered and ran away with her in tow, but that didn’t happen. They were alone and even though he was worse for wear, he couldn’t think of a better time.

Sakura looked back and forth between him and the door, trying to form a coherent word, but it wasn’t working and only made him chuckle. Then, she shut her mouth and stomped over with a pout in her lips that made him think that she was going to reopen those wounds. “A-ah, Sakura?—“

She took ahold of his collar and leaned down, kissing him hard. His eyes bulged but he welcomed the touch not a second later, holding the back of her head and pressing against her back. Her soft, pink lips tasted of sweetrolls and honey, and even after living in Nohr for months, she still retained a flowery scent from back home. Though the kiss started off fierce when she crashed onto him, now it was tender and sweet as they shared the mutual bliss. Something about her touch made him feel like he could finally rest, like all of his worries suddenly didn’t matter. His headache disappeared for those short moments until it returned when she drew back, their lips making a soft smack.

He looked into her eyes and waited for it. “I…” she whispered, “I love you too…”

Leo sighed. “I can’t believe it took me that long,” he said, his touch slipping away from her.

“Well...” she said, standing up. “I-I guess that you g-got me t-to s-stay a little longer.” She blinked. “Is that why you—?!”

“Haha! Oh no,” he said. “I said it because I meant it.” He lifted a brow. “You think me to be someone to use such sacred words as a rouse?”

“N-no!” she said, waving her hands. “W-wait, I’m just gonna go get you some food.” And again, she rushed to the door. He wasn’t about to leave her alone just yet.

“Okay,” he said, lying back down. “Good bye,”

“Bye,” she said, opening the door,

“I love you.”

She froze for a moment, pouting at him as she slipped under the doorframe. Leo laughed again, holding his head. “I-I love you too!” she shouted, slamming the door in front of her. Sakura took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself, but her nerves shot again when she heard a voice next to her.

“Huh,” said Niles. “Not sure if I believe you about that.” Sakura had completely forgotten that his retainer was standing watch, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Her face turned red again as she froze in fear, unsure what to say after shouting a rather angry-sounding declaration of love. “So, how is Milord doing? He’s up and at ‘em?” Sakura only nodded behind her hands. “Awe, thank you for taking so much care of him, Milady.” She lifted her head, peeking from behind her hands. “No jokes. I mean it,”

“O-of course. H-he i-is m-my…I r-really…”

“I get it,” he said, waving his hand. “Sorry for keeping you,”

“I-it’s fine.” She bowed once. “E-excuse me, Niles…” Then she scurried out of there, trying to hold back screams of embarrassment. She made her way down the stairs of the palace to the kitchen, following the scent when she reached the first floor. Such a heavenly scent only meant that a certain someone was cooking right now and she couldn’t wait to see. Sakura let herself into the kitchen, seeing a couple of people inside.

First, obviously, was Mozu, lifting two bite-sized dumplings and presenting them to Flora and Felicia. “Alright, try these!” The twins exchanged smiles before leaning in and taking the dumplings, chewing slowly. Felicia reacted first, squealing and nodding quickly. Flora had a more subdued reaction, nodding once in approval as a smile crept on her face.

“Wow!” Felicia said after swallowing, “that’s so good! How long did that take?”

“Oh, not that long,” Mozu answered, putting her hands on her hips. “These are super simple to make. I’ll be sure to leave a recipe,”

“Thank you,” Flora said, “Really, everything is delicious. Many of our tribesmen will appreciate the new recipes.” At that moment, Felicia’s eyes glanced toward the ground, her smile fading into a frown. Her twin noticed it first and put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey,” she said, voice low and calm. “Why don’t you take some?”

“H-huh?” she asked, looking up.

“You want to see him, don’t you?” Felicia’s eyes widened as she glanced between Flora and Mozu, her voice stammering.

“Y-you…don’t mind?”

“Felicia…” She forced a soft smile. “It’s okay. I’m sure F…Father would like seeing you.” Mozu took that as her cue to turn away from the conversation and begin making a plate.

“O-Okay,” Felicia replied, her voice wavering. “O-Only if you don’t mind, Lady Mozu,”

“Wha? No, not at all!” she said, handing her the plate of food. Like Flora, her smile also looked forced. “There, that should be good,”

“Thank you. I’ll be back soon.” She bowed once and started for the door, noticing who walked in. “Oh, Lady Sakura, hello,”

“Hello, Felicia,” she said, smiling back to her as she left. Sakura waited for her to leave before approaching the other two women, their smiles dropping to frowns of pity.

Mozu spoke first. “I-I feel bad for Felicia,” she said to Flora. “It don’t look like she’s taking it all that well.”

Flora’s voice lowered back to a cautious tone. “Felicia knew that what my father did was wrong.” She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. “But, she had more love for him than I did and vice versa,”

“Still,” Mozu said, “can’t be easy knowing that he’s gonna leave forever,”

“…You’re right,” she sighed, closing her eyes for a second before she glanced back towards her. “What of your family, Lady Mozu?” Mozu’s brows pinched as she looked to Sakura, whose pained expression said it all. After Flora looked between the two, she waved her hand. “I see…another time. How are you, Lady Sakura?”

“Yeah.” Mozu’s smile returned. “You been holed up in there forever. Everythin’ alright?”

She nodded, a grin happening on her lips. “Y-yes! Leo woke up.”

“Oh, that’s great!” Mozu said, clapping her hands together.

“Yeah, he’s fine now. I came down to get some food since he hasn’t eaten in a couple of days and whatnot.”

Mozu sighed and turned around, taking a rag to lift the lid off a large pot. Sakura inhaled the scent of spices and meat boiling together in a thick sauce as she listened to the bubbling of the stew. “Might be a bit heavy for him, but it’ll warm ‘im right up,” she said as she took a wooden spoon to stir it.

“Perfect! Thanks, Mozu,” she said.

“No problem. It’ll be a couple of minutes, though.”

Flora chuckled, leaning against the counter as she spoke to the both of them. “You know,” she said, “thanks to Lord Leo’s plans, the negotiations have been going pretty smoothly,”

“He’ll be glad to hear that,” Sakura said. “You should have seen him before we arrived,”

“I imagine. He inherited the burden that the previous Nohrian kings imposed on him.” She shook her head. “I gotta say, if it weren’t for you and Lady Mozu, perhaps I would have been stricter.”

The two Hoshidan exchanged glances before looking back toward Flora. “R-Really?” asked Sakura.

“There’s something about you two that makes me want to trust you.” She laughed, tilting her head. “Perhaps I’m biased because we’re all women.”

Mozu laughed too, continuing to stir the stew. “Hey, we gotta stick together!” she said, putting her free hand on her waist. “Boy, back there in the meeting room, that was you bein’ nice?”

“You have to understand,” she said with a sigh, “forgive my wording, but I am on thin ice right now. The tribe is split between my father’s loyalists and the other half that never wanted a war in the first place. Either way, majority of the tribe still dislikes Nohr.”

Sakura frowned. “I-I hope w-we can change that,” she said, holding her own hands. “I-In the future, with this n-new treaty,”

“As do I,” Flora replied. “No matter how you look at it, Nohr needs its water and we’re the ones who have it. I just wish some of the men would get that through their head that Nohr isn’t going away.”

The kitchen was silent for a moment, apart from the boiling bubbles of the stew. Flora was right. Nohr isn’t going to leave the tribe alone anytime soon unless they miraculously had a new water source that was more convenient and efficient than Hoshido. Even then, the entire kingdom couldn’t survive solely on their neighboring kingdom’s water supply. What did Hoshido specifically have that Nohr didn’t? She knew that they had springs, lakes, and waterfalls scattered throughout their fair kingdom, so the water flowed through with ease. The Ice Tribe’s waterfall and reservoir just might be the only large body of water in Nohr besides the ocean. Then the idea popped into her head.

“Well,” Sakura said, gaining their attention. “L-Leo and I talked about a dam once. Y-you know, since it r-rains so much,”

“Ah,” Flora crossed her arms, “I’ve heard that one before. I’m sure Nohrian engineers could do it. It’s finding the money, time, and labor that’s the problem,”

“Y-yeah, Leo mentioned that.” Sakura twiddled her thumbs. “I-I don’t know what i-it would take for it t-to work, but…”

Flora shrugged. “Depends on Nohr’s economy. I’m sure this new trade deal with Hoshido will change it up, hopefully for the better.” She smiled. “Who knows. Do you think Hoshido would be willing to help build it?”

“H-huh? Oh, sure!” Sakura said. “A-at least, it has my support,”

“Mine too!” Mozu said. “W-well, I’m not a princess or nothin’, but I’m for that idea!”

Flora chuckled. “If it has the support of the two soon-to-be most powerful women in Nohr behind it, I think we have found a solution.” At that, Mozu held a whimper behind her lips, staring back at the stew. “Lady Mozu?”

“Heehee. Still nervous about the queen thing?” Sakura asked.

“Huh?” Flora blinked, genuine curiosity in her voice. “Really? But you handled the negotiations pretty well,”

“Th-that’s different.” She peeked back around. “X-Xander was there with me and he did a lot of the talking,”

“True, but he didn’t do any of this,” she said, gesturing to the food. “He didn’t show me the way to use our new resources or give us farming advice.” Mozu’s cheeks turned rosy as she returned Flora’s smile with a sheepish grin. “You’re honoring our treaty’s spirit before it’s even signed,”

“A-Ah! I h-hope that’s okay!” She scratched her head. “And didn’t void it or nothin’,”

“Relax, you’re fine.” Flora glanced at Sakura for a second. “And you’ll make a great queen. One that I won’t mind following,”

“She’s right,” Sakura said. “And you know I’ll be there for you too, so don’t worry.”

Mozu’s red cheeks rounded when she smile, looking at both of them. “Th-Thanks, you two. I-I’m still nervous about that stuff,” she said, setting the spoon down to hold her own hands. “B-but I’m gonna try my best. A-and I hope that the Ice Tribe and Nohr can remain o-on good terms.”

Flora nodded. “A nice sentiment. If you raise your sons with the same good manner, then we’ll have high hopes for the future.”

“Yeah, uh-huh…wait, sons!?” Even Sakura felt shy at the mention of sons, and took a subtle step back. “S-sons? O-Oh Gods, we haven’t t-talked about… _that_. Yet.” She looked to Sakura who gave her a shrug.

Flora blinked in surprise. “R-really? Surely you knew that it is a queen’s duty to produce heirs,”

“W-we talked about that,” Sakura said to Mozu. “Y-you and I, remember?”

“Y-yeah, I do but…th-that was for you! And n-now that I’m realizing it’s for me too and…” She pressed her lips into a thin line, puffing her cheeks out and staring like she had seen a ghost. Poor Mozu. Of course heirs were always in the question for Sakura, having grown up royalty and whatnot. It came as a no-brainer when she became engaged to Xander and still remained relevant when she chose Leo instead. Mozu, on the other hand, never grew up with the pressure to have children, sons specifically. A million things must have be running through her head.

“Oh my…” Flora said, putting her fist under her chin. “I could have sworn that you were aware…” Sakura swore that she saw a pink color tint on her cheeks. “Why else would you go to his room every night?”

As Sakura gasped and her jaw dropped, Mozu gawked back with bulged eyes, standing still like a deer before it was hit by a carriage. She put her fingers over her lips, feeling her heart race. “M-Mozu…i-is that true?”

“Huh? Y-you got it all wrong!” she said, waving her hands in front of her. “I-I just g-get cold at night!” Now Flora’s jaw dropped. “I-It’s not like that! We just sleep, I promise!” The stew hissed behind her, causing her to whip herself around. “Ack! Oh, Gods, don’t be…” She stirred for a couple of seconds before snapping back. “H-How did you kn-know!?”

“A guard told me he saw you,” Flora said. “I thought it was harmless either way…forgive me for jumping to conclusions.” She chuckled behind her lips. “That’s quite sweet of you, actually,”

“Ah…” Mozu wasn’t yelling anymore, but her face was still red as she took a bowl and scooped stew into it. “I-It’s nothin’, really. Sakura didn’t leave Leo for two whole days, checkin’ his pulse and everything.”

Sakura scratched the back of her neck, eyes glancing down. “W-Well…”

A knock at the kitchen door turned their attentions in that direction as the knob turned. Before he walked in, they recognized the rich tone as Xander’s. “Pardon me,” he said, leaving the door open as he strolled in. Sakura clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling her laughter before it burst out. His timing couldn’t be more perfect than if he were a Diviner. She glanced to the side, noticing Flora also hiding a grin behind her fingers. Mozu’s mouth formed a small “o” as her cheeks still flared red. “Smells delicious in here. I trust you are all well?”

Then, he crossed his arms, glancing between everyone’s expressions. “…Did I walk in at a bad time?”

Just as Sakura snorted to stifle another laugh, Mozu spoke loudly to gain his attention. “N-not at all! Hey, Sakura!” she said, shoving a couple of mini-dumplings into the stew. “The stew’s ready for Leo!”

“Oh, th-thank you!” she took the tray in her hands as Flora moved behind her.

“I-I’ll go with you,” she said as they turned their backs on Xander, pacing to the door. “I should speak with Lord Leo as well!” They reached the doorway no problem, but they couldn’t hold back their giggles as they shut the door behind them.

Xander slowly turned back to his fiancée, who looked quite guilty with her pinched, upturned brows and red face. He put his hands on his hips, a smile tugging on the corner of his lips. “Might you explain?”

“U-Uh…” she glanced away, putting out the fire underneath the pot. “F-Flora and Sakura f-found out.” She cleared her throat. “Where I go…each night.” She saw his brows lift as a very faint bit of pink blushed on his cheeks.

“…Oh.” He cleared his throat as well, scratching his chin. “And you cleared it up?” She nodded. “Good.” He chuckled. “As much as I enjoy it, I’ll have to stop you ahead of time when we go back home. Not only would you for sure be caught, it will be much harder to explain to the servants and my father,”

“Oof, you’re right,” she said, taking a rag to wipe her hands. “Ah well, it’s just until the wedding,”

“Yes, just until then.” He paused, smile dropping to a neutral frown as he dropped his hands at his side. “I came to find you to let you know,”

“Oh?” She lifted her head and judging from the sobriety of his voice, something was about to drop.

“I’m ready to have that talk,” he said, sighing at the end. “Now that the negotiations are close to done, I’ve had time to think.” Mozu’s heart raced, cold anxiety looming through her chest. She too had been thinking about it throughout the day now that most of the chaos had died down. And honestly, she wanted to have this talk as soon as possible, before they returned to Krakenburg.

She nodded once, calming herself with resolve. “Me too,” she said.

“Are you sure? I can wait,”

“Yeah, but I can’t.” She took a deep breath. “Can…can I go first?” He nodded, giving her his full attention as she paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. “D-do you remember the last time we were in the kitchen? And you asked me to what extent would I go to be with someone I loved?”

“Yes, of course. Your answer gave me the courage to propose.”

She couldn’t help but smile, even for a second. “Well…that’s what I really wanted ta know. ‘Cause I’m ready to do just that for you.” The line between his brows thickened as she dropped her arms to her sides. “But…I grew up in a place where it was easy to do that. Life or death meant bravin’ a hunt to kill a dozen boars and if that didn’t work, then nothin’ stopped you from running away together.” His expression softened at that as she kept going. “But it’s different here, especially with you. Y-you’re royalty and life or death is just outta the question most of the time. Here, nothing is simple. It’s all…all…”

“Complicated,” he finished.                                

“Yeah. Complicated.” She sighed, dropping her shoulders for a second before correcting her posture. “And I can’t blame ya for that.” Then, she reached forward and took his hands in hers. “You’ve already showed me that you’re willin’ to fight tooth and nail to be with me, and I’m not gonna ignore that.” A warm smile reflected her feelings. “So I’m just gonna shut it and tell ya to forget about that question. It’s a different lifetime with different struggles and I’m just happy to be here, to have come this far.” Xander smiled back, squeezing her hands.

“So…you’re letting me off the hook?”

“Yeah, I am.”

He chuckled, leaning forward. “I appreciate it, but…I’ll have to disagree.”

Mozu’s smile dropped as her eyes widened. Yet, Xander kept his smile, so she didn’t panic just yet. “H-huh?”

“I don’t want to be let go. At least, not completely. You were justified in asking me that question, or at least the spirit of it.” She retained a surprised look as his hand reached forward, pushing stray strands from her cheek. “It’s clear that I struggle juggling the roles of prince and husband. Later, I may even struggle with the roles of king and husband.” She nodded once to let him know that she listened. “I have no wish to compromise either or hold one to a higher esteem because they are both important. While I know that I can come into my role of king, I fear that I will…lack in my role as husband.” Mozu waited patiently, her heart racing as he held her cheek with his palm. “I may need your guidance to help me in that sense from time to time.”

Mozu snorted, returning his smile. “Well, if I ever feel that you’re slackin’, I’ll let ya know.” She leaned up, wrapping her arms around him. “So far, you’re doin’ a good job,”

“Is that so? I haven’t even said my vows yet,” he said, a hint of playfulness in his voice as he held her.

“You didn’t need to.” She rose up on the tips of her toes, getting closer but not close enough. “Just so ya know, in the same sense, ya might need to help me out with the queen role. For now, I’m makin’ a better wife than queen,” she said with a wink.

“Mmm, I care to disagree,” he said, reaching lower to lift her again as she giggled. “You’ve been a good queen these past two days,”

“Okay, okay,” she said, leaning forward so their foreheads touched. “Enough with the flattery, I meant that. I help you, you help me, got it?”

“Of course,”

“And the minute I need you,”

“The minute you need me?...”

She grinned. “You’ll come runnin’?”

He chuckled. “I’ll ride Algol indoors if I must.”

Mozu laughed at that too, pulling away so she wouldn’t hurt his ears. Strangely, she could indeed imagine a serious and frowning Xander ride his mount indoors to reach her. As her laughter died down, she met his subtle, warm smile again that drew her closer. There was still much to be done with the negotiations and preparations, but just for now, she would indulge herself with the company of her betrothed. Now, nothing stood between them.

A couple of hours later, the three resumed their meeting, hoping to finalize everything before turning in for the night. Xander had wanted to bring Leo upon hearing the news that he was awake, but he heeded Mozu’s advice to let him rest and recover. After all, they were mostly done anyway. Flora had been a tough one to crack, as she promised. She let nothing slide past her and inquired about every small detail. Xander provided the economic standpoints as best he could, but even he could take a hint that Flora would much rather listen to Mozu talk about the many different uses of rice. She was looking out for her people, so it was a quality that he had to admire. Thankfully, his fiancée’s ramblings convinced Flora that she was getting the best deal and a week’s long debate turned into a couple of days. Now all that was left was a signing ceremony and then they could return home.

“So what’s a signing ceremony?” Mozu asked him as she sat on the edge of his bed, watching him scribble on loose parchment. Xander leaned back in his chair, tapping his chin with the feather of his quill pen.

“It’s just a formality,” he said. “It shows good faith to the common people with a symbolic handshake,”

“Ohhh,” she said as he resumed writing. She tilted her head. “Watcha writin’? I thought we finished,”

“I’m just trying to gather my thoughts,” he said, setting the pen down. “Most likely, I’ll have to give a speech.” She heard the subtle change in his tone that voiced his fear and walked over, placing her hands on his shoulders. Xander leaned into her touch as she hugged him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. “No matter how many times I do it, it never gets easier,”

“Seems to come natural to you.”

His chuckle was dry and humorless. “I’ve learned to mask it well. It still…vexes me.” He took her hand and interlaced their fingers. “I’ve…never told anyone this.” She heard the hesitance in his voice. “But it’s agony before I begin.” Mozu had a bout of pity when he turned his head to the side, his frown deep and brows knitted in frustration. “I don’t know why, after I’ve done it so many times,”

“Hey, it’s super scary,” she said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I know I’d be the worst at it. Jumblin’ my words and whatnot.” She shrugged. “And who cares if you fake it? No one’ll notice,”

“Except perhaps you,” he said, his smile returning. “Now that you know,”

“So?” She let go to circle around the chair. “I’m not gonna make fun o’ you. I’m here to support you, silly.” With that, she wrapped her arms around his neck and sat on his lap. “It’ll be our little secret.”

“Oh, Mozu,” he sighed, holding her close. “I fear that you may know more about me than anyone else,”

“Good.” She reached up, pressing her nose against his. “Why? Do you mind?”

“On the contrary.” He spoke in a gentle voice. “I’m glad that it’s you and no one else...”

The next day, early in the morning, Sakura sat up in her bed and forced herself to stand. Before she (presumably) retired to Xander’s room, Mozu had related the news to her that there would be a signing ceremony, meaning that she had to wake at dawn. Sakura also assumed that it would have been her duty to assist Leo in getting to the ceremony as well. In all honesty, once she had heard of Mozu’s secret wanderings to Xander’s room each night, she was half-tempted to try it herself. But, she wasn’t sure how comfortable she would have been sharing Leo’s bed so soon, especially when he was in recovery and needed his rest. They had a lifetime ahead of them sleeping together anyhow, so she didn’t mind.

After dressing and washing her face, she made her way down the hall. She arrived at Leo’s room, walking in slowly to not awake him all at once. Surprisingly, she saw him out of bed and standing against the wall, walking slowly. She gasped and rushed to his side. “Wh-what are you doing up?” she asked, taking his hand to support him.

“I had to try,” he said. “I’m stiff, but I’ll be fine.”

“Take it easy.” She took his hands and led him back to his bed. “H-How do you feel t-today?”

Leo groaned softly as he sat at the edge. “Better. Not in as much pain, but I feel like stone.”

“It’ll pass.” She looked him up and down before continuing. “S-so, they’re finished negotiating.” His head perked up. “There’s going to be a signing ceremony this morning, s-so…I came t-to help you.”

He frowned, his eyes glancing to the side as he rested his elbows on his thighs. “…I don’t…hmm.” She knelt down, leaning forward to hear him better. Leo paused, his eyebrows furrowing together as he continued to hum under his breath. “I’m…wondering,”

“Wondering what?”

“If I should go…”

Sakura blinked once, tilting her head to the side. “You…don’t want to?”

“I’m not sure.” His brows narrowed. “It feels…it doesn’t feel good. A-after what I did to Kilma…what I almost did…” She lifted a hand to his cheek, caressing it in her palm. “I just…I feel as if my presence would only rub salt in their wounds.” He looked back to her. “What do you think?”

She pressed her lips into a thin line, not saying anything to focus on her words. “Y-you did what you had t-to do.” Two of her fingers took stray strands of his hair between them to push them aside. “A-and…no one is going to thank you for that.”

He sighed deeply. “Being any sort of leader in Nohr is a thankless job. I’m not concerned with thanks,”

“B-but what I mean is that it’s not gonna b-be easy…” She tilted her head to the side, managing a smile. “Besides, you need to remember something,”

“Hm? And that is?”

“That you didn’t kill him.” Her hand fell to his shoulder, squeezing it. “That you’re giving him a fair trial.” Even after that, Leo was still silent and unable to keep eye contact. Sakura squinted, a little shocked to see Leo so unsure of himself before. The same man that caught onto her the moment they met, that did not hesitate to reconcile any situation whether it dealt with a princess-handmaiden switch or an important negotiation was doubting himself. What switched?

Right. It was her.

Because of her, he questioned the actions that he normally would have done in a heartbeat, his judgement absolute. Now, Leo thought twice, keeping her striking words in his heart, and it affected him even now. Perhaps that was why he asked for her opinion in the first place. In any case, if he needed her counsel, she would never falter.

Sakura shook her head. “Th-this is just me a-and i-it’s ultimately up to you but…I-I think you should go,” she finally said, causing Leo to perk his head up. “Only because…because you should be there. I-If you don’t go, then…then aren’t you hiding?” She saw his brows knit together and his lips frown like he had tasted something bitter. “A-And, the t-tribalists may n-not know it, b-but your proposals are what allowed the t-treaty to be signed in the f-first place,”

“…I suppose,”

“…Leo.” She said his name firmly as his eyes snapped out of their trance. “Can you please…please t-tell me what you’re thinking?”

He paused, presumably to gather his thoughts, before lifting a hand to his head, fingers pushing through his hair. “A lot of things. Too many things.” His voice sounded softer, almost vulnerable. “Mostly…mostly the fact that we have had two rebellions in the past two months.” Sakura had nearly forgotten that there had been a revolt in Cheve as well.

“Y-Yes…it seems as if all of Nohr has suffered from oppressive rule.”

Leo scoffed and stood up slowly. “Adelbert was an idiot. First barring trade from Hoshido, then imposing harsh laws on all of our territories and city-states…and we’ve inherited his mess.”

Sakura stood as well, following him as he reached his trunk, looking for clothes. She already knew that she would spend the rest of her life attempting to heal the broken kingdom that was Nohr. So did Leo, but he still showed no joy in the burden. Just before he was about to change his shirt, Sakura walked to him, hugging him from behind. “Leo. Don’t be afraid,” she said. “You’re not doing this alone. A-and it’ll be tough for all of us, but…think of all the good you’ll do.” Leo relaxed his arms, his hand ghosting over hers.

“And all the bad I’ve done before I met you.” She wanted to squeeze him tighter, but instead she opted to reach up to his nose, giving him a squeeze. “H-Hey!” When she let go, he turned around, his cheeks red.

“L-Listen, wh-when you proposed, don’t you remember?” Leo lifted a brow. “Y-you…you said you were ready t-to see the light,”

“Yes, but…” He scratched his cheek. “That was mostly…romantic metaphor.”

She frowned, crossing her arms. “I didn’t think so. I think you meant it.” When he shifted his gaze away, Sakura dropped her arms at her side, adopting a warmer tone. “I think…I think you’re coming closer to the light, but you’re getting blinded by it too.” Judging from his squint, Leo wasn’t appreciating the metaphor. “Th-the point is that it’ll take some getting used to…don’t you think?”

“…Some getting used to.” He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “I believe that we can agree on that.”

With a grin, she nodded. “Mhmm. And you know…I-I’m still here…” She leaned up. “I-If you need advice…b-but only if you need it.”

Leo smiled back, his fingers taking her chin to tilt it up. “I promise to savor those words of wisdom when I need them,”

“Hmm…” He bent down, the cold tip of his nose brushing against her cheek. “Sounds good to me…”

Even now, their simple kisses felt magical to her, as if the world stopped for a moment. His soft lips perfectly fit onto hers, sending warm pulses of delight through her veins. His arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her close. Her foot slid back on the floor, lifting up on her toes as she softly moaned. They pulled away, her heart still racing as she opened her eyes. “I hate to say this…but the ceremony?”

“They can wait,” he said, kissing the corner of her lips. “Just a moment longer…”

* * *

The crowd had gathered on and below the steps leading to the palace, their voices silent yet restless. The animosity grew like a swarm of insects, its buzz growing louder until it rang in their ears and sent shivers down their backs. Towards the front stood Flora with her negotiators beside her, the Nohrian princesses not too far back. Felicia was supposed to be there as well, but she opted to stay near Kilma for now, seeing as how he would depart soon.

Mozu glanced up at Xander as he faced the crowd with a firm, cold frown and stood still like a statue. She could feel his struggle to remain stoic, to keep up a face of resolve. Before, he made it look so easy, but the more she came to know him, the more she realized how much of an act he put up. _What can ya do, he’s crown prince and gonna be king one day_ , she thought. Her fingers brushed by his as his hand flinched in response. He glanced down, finding a reassuring smile waiting for him. As much as she would have liked to hold his hand and give him comfort, this would have to do. The lines around his eyes softened as he brushed his fingers by hers again, as if thanking her.

Suddenly, the crowd quieted without anyone telling them to do so. Mozu noticed Camilla and Elise turn to the side, so she did the same as Xander followed suit. Coming out of the palace to meet with rest of them, Leo trudged slowly, a hand on his stomach as Sakura held his arm for support. The sounds of their footsteps were deafening among the silence, even though they walked off to the side with the sisters. Mozu felt a soft nudge at her arm and turned around to meet Flora. She leaned over, whispering, “And that’s why no one is revolting.” Looking back at the crowd, their gazes were fixed towards Leo and Sakura, even though they were just there to witness the ceremony along with the others. Heck, not like Mozu could blame the tribe. Even she didn’t know what to make of the bright green light in the sky that burst from the top of the waterfall after they rescued Sakura. The retainers couldn’t talk of anything other than the booming voices of Brynhildr and Leo or of the giant tree that sprouted from the ground, swallowing Kilma whole.

It was hard to believe that the chieftain was still alive.

Flora took a couple of steps forward, projecting her voice so the crowd would focus on her instead. “People of the Ice Tribe, please, lend me your ears.” Mozu stood at attention next to Xander, listening to her speech. “I know that a few days ago, many of you were willing to give up your life to have the kingdom of Nohr listen to our outcries once and for all. Not only that, but you were willing to give up the lives of your neighbors, of your wives and mothers, including your children to achieve that goal. But today…” She paused. “Today, I can say, not only as your chieftain but as the daughter of a proud father, that Nohr has finally heard us.” A low murmur came from the crowd until she spoke again. “The damages have been done, but now we can begin a time of healing and equality.”

She turned around, facing Xander. Mozu looked up, trying to telepathically send him some strength for his speech as well. He was about to take a step forward until Flora said, “Lady Mozu.” Hundreds of pairs of eyes turned on her, including few behind her. Xander was too occupied hiding the shock on his face to say or do anything when Flora extended her hand towards her. “Please.” Also hiding the shock on her face, she looked up to Xander, who quickly nodded his head towards Flora’s direction, as if telling her to go.

“O-Okay...” Walking away from him felt like she was jumping into the middle of the ocean. She forgot every word she ever learned as she stood beside Flora, her shoulders shaking. Why was she doing this? It was supposed to be Xander, the actual royal, the one in charge. He spent last night running his words over and over again, so why did it have to be her? She felt as if she had no business being called upon. Though she wore the ring belonging to the crown prince, it was only an engagement one.

“Have you anything to say?”

No. Not really. Mozu looked onto the crowd, seeing the skepticism in their expressions. They were silent and unsure what to make of the foreigner standing next to their chieftain. That, or they were afraid. Nohr had done some terrible crimes against them in the past, so of course they had doubts. Behind her was the man that could have easily killed their leader, possessing a power that no one really knew the extent of. Maybe that was it. Maybe they just felt so powerless, caught between the crossfire of their leaders’ infighting.

Almost like her.

Mozu glanced between Flora and the crowd before swallowing hard, speaking from her stomach. “I used to live in a village that was a lot…a lot smaller than your tribe.” She dug her fingernails into her fists. “But it was taken away from me by Nohrian bandits.” The people were silent, but she saw many of them shift in place or exchange looks between each other. Never did she think that she would relate her life story like this, but something told her it was the right thing to do. “B-but the only reason b-bandits came in the first place was ‘cause there was no food. They had to steal to eat. I always…I always hated that.” She felt a lump in her throat, but she kept going, speaking from her heart. “I was angry at them for taking everything away, b-but I was also angry ‘cause their own kingdom couldn’t feed ‘em. B-but now, Hoshido is here. They’re going to help Nohr out, and-and that means all of you too!” Her heart pounding like crazy as her volume rose. “E-even if it means workin’ all day and night, I-I wanna do my best to help y’all too! You deserve to be just as happy as Hoshido too!” Then, strangely, she bowed even though she knew that the people behind her would stare bewildered. “Even though I ain’t a princess or a queen yet, I hope to be of g-good service to you!”

Oh Gods. Didn’t she say that when Sakura asked her to be her handmaiden? Definitely not something a future queen would say; it was almost as if she could see Xander hiding behind his hand.

Then, she heard shifting feet. Flora’s hand on her back told her to look up and in a wave of activity, from front to back, the people of the Ice Tribe were bowing back. Words couldn’t express the shock and elation upon seeing so many people pay such respects toward her. She slowly stood up straight, her eyes wide as she looked onto the sea of bowing tribalists. _Is this really…all for me?_ she asked herself, placing her hand over her racing heart. Mozu turned around, eager to see how he reacted. Once their eyes met, Xander’s frown dropped to a gentle smile, making her heart all aflutter again. Looking at the sisters, they grinned as Elise gave her two thumbs up.

Flora took Mozu’s hand in hers, and projected her voice again. “Rise!” Once her people looked up, she raised Mozu’s hand up, as if she were a champion. “To the future queen!”

The crowd shouted back, “To the future queen!” Once Flora let go of her hand, Mozu thought that she would melt into the ground like a puddle. She stood up straight, but she felt dizzy from the sudden influx of different feelings hitting her like a runaway goat. Hell, her speech wasn’t even that great; she kept stuttering and she thought her story made no sense in the end. But, looking back at the crowd, their energy seemed to be uplifted, their eyes filled with hope.

_To the future queen!_

_Oh Gods_. She took a step back when Flora looked to Xander. _I’m…going to be queen_. _Maybe…I could be a real good one too._

“Lord Xander.” Now it was his time to step forward and stand before Flora. Instead of hiding behind him like she originally wanted to, Mozu stood beside him with her back straight and chin high. “I, Flora, speaking on behalf of the Ice Tribe, do swear to uphold not only the conditions but the spirit of our treaty to ensure peace between our kingdom and tribe.” She held out her hand.

“I, Xander, speaking on behalf of the Kingdom of Nohr, do swear to uphold our treaty in its full spirit, now and when I take the throne.” He took her hand in his. “Let us end this era of hostility and work towards a new one of trust and understanding.”

Their hands shook as a low, but steady applause rumbled from the crowd. As Mozu clapped along, she felt a bit of soreness in her cheeks from smiling for so long.

 _We did it_ , she thought. _We actually did it_.

Once they were back in the palace out of public view, Xander asked the question on everyone’s mind as they filed into the lobby. “Flora.” She stopped and turned. “Care to explain what happened back there?”

A smug smile curled on her lips as she spoke. “I did want to ask last night. But, I doubted that neither you nor Lady Mozu would have agreed.” As the two exchanged glances, Mozu gave him a shrug as if to tell her that she was right. She would have denied the first chance she got. “I apologize for putting you on the spot so suddenly,”

“I-It’s fine. Didn’t turn out as bad as I thought!”

“Oh yes. Much better than I had hoped. You see,” she said, looking to Xander. “I meant no offense to you, Milord. The tribe, I figured, is tired of listening to Nohrian princes and kings make empty promises, even though I knew yours to be true.” Xander’s frown softened. “I needed to convince them that real change was coming. The best way to do that is to have someone from a different perspective speak, no?”

Leo chuckled. “Actually, from a political standpoint, it’s quite genius.” The attention of the lobby turned on him. “The opposite of a Nohrian king is a Hoshidan peasant. You had the right idea, Flora. Though, the effect would have been much better if we prepared Mozu’s words ahead of time.”

Camilla put a hand on his shoulder. “Now, now. What’s done is done. Our little Mozu did quite well for being thrown to the wolves like that,”

“Th-thanks, Camilla,” Mozu said, feeling color rush to her cheeks as she put her hands behind her back. She did feel a little bad, considering that all of Xander’s hard work that he put into writing a speech was put to waste. He got all worked up and nervous for nothing. Still, nothing could compare to the feeling when she saw all of the tribalists bow to her and cheer for their future queen. Not only did it reassure her in this frightening new role, it inspired her to work her damn hardest for them too. “S-so what happens now?”

“Now,” Flora said, “If Lord Xander could follow me, we will formally sign the treaty and then you can begin preparations to travel.” So they were free to go, if Mozu understood correctly.

“Whew!” Elise said. “As much as I loved playing in the snow, it’s so hard to sleep at night! I feel like I’m gonna freeze my feet off.” Leo turned around and tossed her a glare as Flora chuckled.

“Don’t feel bad, Lady Elise. Our climate isn’t kind to strangers, as you can see,”

“You oughta make it nicer.”

Camilla rolled her eyes, taking Elise by the shoulders. “Come now, darling,” she said, wheeling her past the group. “Let’s go make sure you don’t leave anything behind.” Elise muttered something about leaving her staff “just that one time” as they wandered out of ear shot.

Xander cleared his throat. “Right. Flora? The signing?”

“Right this way.” She turned on her heel and began to lead Xander down the hall. Once Mozu took a step forward to follow, she heard Leo’s voice from behind.

“M-Mozu. Might I have a moment?” Her heart sank, expecting something terrible. Xander looked back for a second, his piercing stare aimed at Leo like a sort of warning before he faced forward and continued following Flora. Once they were gone, it was just the three of them in the lobby.

Sakura looked to Leo, speaking in a quiet voice. “Sh-should I go too?”

“Up to you,” he said. “This won’t take long.” He took a couple of steps forward towards Mozu, leaving Sakura’s touch. Knowing that she was there brought some comfort to Mozu, hopefully to act as a sort of buffer. Nonetheless, her body still trembled and her heart raced in anticipation of what Leo was going to say. The younger prince still frightened her to some degree, and honestly, she wasn’t sure what Sakura found in him. She trusted the princess’s decision, though, and she suspected that they were private with their romance in the same way she was with Xander.

Hell, he must be thinking the same thing, questioning how his brother fell for a Hoshidan peasant.

“Mozu.” His tone sounded less harsh than usual. “I…” He took a deep breath, his expression sober. “I wish to apologize.” Her brows lifted in surprise, eyes shifting to Sakura for a second. Huh. Didn’t expect that. “For everything, really. I know a simple phrase can’t undo the injustices I’ve brought upon you, but I do mean it.” He bowed to her as well, bringing further shock to her expression. “From now on, I will do my best to assist you until I can earn your forgiveness…”

She quickly looked back to Sakura, whose wide eyes told her she was equally surprised. That obviously meant that she didn’t put Leo up to this, so perhaps he really did have the best intentions. Mozu had actually been waiting for his apology for a while. Looking down, she managed a soft smile. “You already got it.”

Leo stood up straight, lifting a brow, skepticism in his tone. “With all due respect, why?”

“A lot of reasons, really. I don’t wanna be mad at you, for one.” She shrugged. “Don’t mean I gotta like what ya did. ‘Sides. I’m marryin’ your brother and you’re marryin’ my best friend. Not like we should be fighting.”

He cleared his throat as Sakura smiled warmly. “R-right.” Then he extended his hand to her. “I don’t believe I deserve it, but, I do promise to make it up to you in the future.”

Mozu looked at Leo up and down, snickering. “Didn’t ya hear me?” she said, walking closer. “We’re gonna be family, remember? C’mere!” She took his hand and pulled him into a hug, careful as to not squeeze him too tight. Behind him, Sakura laughed as his arms hung awkwardly at his sides, his voice stammering. In all honesty, she might have hugged him just to throw him off guard. “Get used to it. We hug in Hoshido, right, Sakura?”

“Yes, we do!” She giggled as she joined in, hugging Leo from behind as he stifled a groan behind his lips. The moment made Mozu realize one of the perks of having a family that she had forgotten about: the ability to mess with them.

Maybe she could have her simple revenge by smothering her new brother with kindness for the rest of their days. Not like he could resist it: she would be both married to his elder brother and be Queen of Nohr.

Ahead of her, Mozu could see the blue skies and sunshine that she dreamt of when Xander first proposed. There was nothing left to do except return and finally walk down the aisle.

* * *

A groan escaped the King of Nohr as he rubbed his eyes, tired from reading the same fine print over and over. “Lord Matthews,” he said, lifting his head finally. “I’m afraid I cannot help you,”

“Your Highness,” pressed the middle-aged man, his square jaw clenching. Garon almost swore that he saw more white hairs sprout from his roots. “I’m only asking for a small troop of men,”

“Yes, but your province borders near Hoshido. With the treaty unsigned, I’m not taking any chances with a misunderstanding.” Just as the noble was about to speak again, there was a knock at the door. Garon lifted a brow as a butler walked in, bowing upon entry.

“F-forgive me, Your Highness—,”

“What is the meaning of this?! Can you not see that I am in the middle of a meeting?”

“I-I understand, but—,”

“Why did the guards let you in?”

“Th-there is a p-pressing matter, Y-Your Highness.”

Garon scoffed. “And what the hell could that be!?”

The butler swallowed thickly. “Th-the…uh…Queen of Hoshido is here.” Garon’s expression dropped as he sat in his chair in silence. The noble before him cleared his throat and loosened his collar. “A-Actually…the princes and princess of Hoshido are here as well.”

 _What kind of divine prank was this._ “H-here?” Garon stood up quickly. “Wh-where is here?”

“A-at the gates—,”

“Don’t just stand there! Welcome them in!” He turned to the noble. “I apologize, Lord Matthews. Another time?”

“O-Of course—,”

Garon had already followed the butler out of his office, adjusting his collar and the crown on his head. _Godsdammit_ , he thought. _These kids and these Hoshidans are going to force me into early retirement…if my old heart doesn’t give out first._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeee life is happening. Oh boy next three chapters are gonna be super fun! I can't wait to write the next one either :D
> 
> Once again, thanks for all of the comments, kudos, bookmarks, etc. etc. We're almost toward the end but it's not gonna stop the XanMozu / LeoSaku hype train HAH


	24. The Stag Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the hiatus is over! Wooo. Only two more chapters left after this. I'm surprised I haven't started them already haha.  
> Okay, but the two chapter thing is probably a lie as there are a couple of epilogues planned. They'll be separate from the main story (and content rating will be different) so that why this super long story is complete heh.
> 
> Thank you to Fushikaden for beta-ing this chapter and a bunch of other works of mine!

**The Stag Night**

 

Early the next morning, in the stables of the palace, the atmosphere looked like the first day when they set out from Nohr. Retainers rushed to pack the trunks and wagons and feed the horses before departure. Peri had the honor of standing by the caged cart that held Kilma, filing her nails with a hum as she kept a keen eye on him. It wasn’t as if Kilma did much of anything anyway. He slouched against the wooden bars of the cage, his silver, oily hair in disarray over his face. Felicia had wrapped the stub where his hand used to be, resting his arm in a sling over his shoulder. It was eerie how silent and still he was, moving only to breath, but everyone still found thanks in that he did not speak.

Sakura and Leo were the last ones to arrive. Instead of her holding his arm, Leo walked freely on his own two feet, the only hint of his past injuries being in the stiffer strides in his legs. Xander turned away from his conversation with Flora to face his brother. “Good morning. You’re looking better,”

“I’ll be much better once we are home,” he said, rolling his shoulders. “Are we ready?”

“Yes,” Xander said before turning back to the chieftain. “Lady Flora, thank you for everything these past couple of days.”

She smiled and spoke, her tone light. “I fail to see how you could, but I know you’re just being polite. In any case, I too hope that this is one treaty that’ll stick,”

“I apologize,” said Leo, “that I couldn’t be there,”

“You were unconscious,” Flora said. “Can’t blame you for that.” Lifting her head, she looked to the side, narrowing her eyes. “Hm. I could have sworn that Felicia would at least be here to see you off,”

“It’s fine,” Xander replied. “I know she means no harm.”

Flora nodded in response, looking down at Mozu. “I should also thank you, Lady Mozu.”

Her brows lifted. “Hm? Me?”

“For all you have done too.” Her smile turned warm. “It might be impossible in the future, but I would hope to see you here in the mountains again,”

“Y-you would? Awe.” She gave a soft laugh. “I mean, I shouldn’t be too busy, should—no, no you’re right. I guess I’ll be pretty busy, huh?”

Flora chuckled. “Don’t worry. I can understand the difficulty in keeping Nohr in one piece,”

“We’ll all try our best.” She folded her hands together. “Too bad you can’t come and see the wedding, er, weddings!”

“I’ll be there in spirit, wishing—“

“I’m here!” cried a high-pitched, female tone. Felicia burst through the doors of the stables, a bag bouncing against her hip, panting as she dashed past the retainers. Her head turned to the side quickly to notice her father, who moved finally when he saw his daughter. She skidded to a stop in front of the other royals, bending over with her hands on her knees. “I’m…huff…I’m here,”

“F-Felicia?” asked Flora. “Is everything alright?...” She squinted. “What’s that bag—“

“I-I wanna…” She stood up straight, looking Xander straight in the eye. “I want to go with you!”

He and Flora gave the same confused “What?” as her twin stepped in front of her, eyes narrow. “Go with them? Why? For how long?”

“I…” Her blue eyes glanced between everyone before she stopped on Flora, her hands clenching the straps of her bag. She stood with her knees together and shoulders near her ears, unlike her sister standing tall and proud. “It’s…I-I should b-be there f-for Father’s trial,”

“You don’t have to go,” Flora said, crossing her arms.

“I-I know…but I want to.” She turned to her sister with such pity in her eyes, almost making the elder twin flinch. “I c-can’t stay here and just let him go…”

Leo spoke up, his volume soft. “I hate to tell you this, but, I’m not sure if witnessing his trial will ease you either.” Flora shot him a scowl as she put her hand on Felicia’s shoulder.

“Are you sure?” she asked, her voice low.

“Mhmm. Positive.” She nodded once. “I-I’ll come home r-right after, okay? So there’s nothing to—.” Flora pulled her closer into a tight embrace, her arm squeezing around her. Felicia’s eyes were wide with shock for a second before she slowly returned the hug.

“As soon as possible,” Flora said, her voice mumbling close to Felicia’s ear. “Okay?” She pulled away, keeping her hands on her shoulders. “We’re the only family we have now… so don’t let me lose you, okay?”

Felicia managed a reassuring smile, tilting her head to the side. “Awe. Of course, Flora. I-I’ll miss you for sure…” She slid her hands down the strap of her bag. “I promise!”

“I’ll hold it to you.” When her arms dropped back to her sides, she looked at Mozu and Sakura. “Stay with Lady Mozu and Lady Sakura. Take care of her for me, will you?”

Sakura nodded. “O-Of course. W-We’ll make sure sh-she’s alright.”

At this time, the royals mounted their steeds, creating a line of four at the front. Camilla was towards the edge next to Elise. “Oh man,” said the younger princess. “Father’s gonna be mad at us, don’t ya think?”

“Perhaps,” replied Camilla, keeping a smile on her face. “But we did the right thing. Just keep that in mind.”

Leo chuckled, stopping Rasalas next to them. “It was a miracle of the gods that you did,” he said. “But the important thing is that we return victorious.”

“Right!” Elise said with a giggle. “So you can all get married now, right?”

Sakura cast her head down with a soft smile, her cheeks turning a little red as Leo cleared his throat. “Y-Yes,” he said. “That’s right…”

Xander pulled up beside them, a rare smile on his lips. “No need to feel bashful, Brother. It is a joyous occasion,”

“Yeah, yeah,” Leo said waving his hand, hearing Sakura giggle behind her lips. “Can we go now?”

Their trek down the mountain was far easier than the hike up when they first came. For one, having Felicia as a guide to traversing the trails was much appreciated. They had to be cautious on the steep slopes, but at least gravity was not working against them now. The party reached the end of the white lands where patches of green and brown grass popped through the snow. Mozu never thought she would be relieved to see the dead lands of Nohr as opposed to a field of white each morning.

Mozu had rode through the streets of Windmire once when she arrived for the very first time, under the guise of Sakura. Back then, there were no cheers and greetings for the royal princes and princesses proceeding through the main street. It felt uneasy to be receiving the warm welcome, but at least she was using her own name and riding with the man who actually was betrothed to her now. No more steps to take; the altar was straight ahead.

At the gates of Krakenburg, everyone noticed the thin, tall butler that stood there alone. Xander narrowed his brows, dismounting as he spoke to him. “You there. Where is my father, the king?”

The butler bowed. “F-Forgive me, Lord Xander. Your father is…ahem…occupied with something else.”

Leo dismounted as well, Sakura following him as the rest of the party did the same. “Occupied? What could possibly be more important than his own children?”

The butler cleared his throat. “Th-The Hoshidan Royal Family,” he said. Everyone’s eyes widened with shock as Sakura audibly gasped.

“What!?” Leo shouted, some color draining from his cheeks. “A-Are you sure it’s them?”

“Where are they?” Xander asked.

“Y-Yes! They’re in the large meeting hall—oh!”

“Sakura!” Mozu shouted as the princess broke into a mad dash. “Saku—oh for cryin’ out loud!” She heard Xander call her name too as she sprinted to catch up to Sakura.

Did she hear that right too? The Hoshidan Royal family? No way they would make that mistake and no way the king would blow them off for the wrong people. Behind her, she heard the footsteps of everyone else following them. Leo groaned about not being able to keep up while Xander shouted ahead. “Do you even know where it is?”

“I do!” Mozu said, catching up to Sakura. “This way!” They turned a hard right, stopping once they heard voices just around the corner.

The first was female, boisterous and haut. “Do whatever you want!” she said with a groan. “I’m going to stay right here.”

“But, Hana,” said another, this time male and velvety. “If Lady Sakura does show up, it should be me to greet her!”

“Why?! I’ve known her the longest!” Hana said. Before Mozu could stop her, Sakura gasped loudly again, peeking out and seeing them not far away at all. “So YOU can go get some snacks, but I’m sit here until—,”

“H-Hana!?” The two retainers whipped their heads around, their bickering ceasing. “S-Subaki!?”

Elation swept over their expressions as they saw their princess, their eyes and grins widening. “Lady Sakura!” they shouted, holding out their arms. Sakura yelled in excitement as she ran into them, holding them close as the hall filled with their loud voices. At that time, the other royals had caught up to witness the scene. Leo stared in astonishment as his fiancée bounced in place, laughing wholeheartedly with two strangers he had never seen before.

The girl was her height, dressed in an outfit of pink and purple. She kept her arms tight around Sakura even when the man pulled away. “Oh, Lady Sakura!” she said. “You’re in one piece. You are in one piece, right?” Then her eyes opened and she took Sakura’s cheeks in her hands. “The Nohrians haven’t done anything bad to you, have they?”

Sakura shook her head. “N-Not at all!” That was kind of a lie. “I-I can’t believe you’re here, the both of you!”

“Neither can I,” said the man, his red hair moving with the nods of his head. “A couple of days ago, Queen Mikoto up and asked us if we wanted to see you,”

“Like we’d say no to that!” said the girl.

Xander and Leo exchanged glances before Leo cleared his throat. Sakura turned around and met his confused expression. “Oh!” she said. “E-Everyone, come here, please!” Mozu stepped forward first, but then again, she had already known the two retainers. Leo followed, then Xander, then Camilla and Elise. Sakura took a step away from the two, using her hands to introduce them. “These a-are my retainers. E-Er, f-from Hoshido. Hana and Subaki!” The two retainers nodded and waved.

“Heya,” said Hana before she looked to Mozu. “Mozu! How’re you?”

“I’m great! It’s so cool that you two are here,” she replied.

Sakura reached forward, taking Leo’s hand. “Hana, Subaki. I want you t-to meet someone too.” Leo looked the retainers up and down, his lips in a neutral frown. “This is my f-fiancé…” Her cheeks darkened at the word. “Prince L-Leo.”

“Oh,” Subaki said. “Nice to meet—wait, Prince Leo?”

Hana whipped her head between Subaki and Leo, pointing between the two princes. “I thought you were engaged to Prince Xander?”

Xander chuckled, walking behind Mozu. “She was. The circumstances were, ahem, altered, and I find myself engaged to someone else.”

Hana crossed her arms, glancing between Xander and Sakura. “Really, to who?”

“Uhm…” said Mozu as Xander put his hand on her shoulder. “That would, uh, be me.” She held up her left hand to show her ring. Hana and Subaki’s jaws dropped, their shoulders dropping as they gawked in disbelief.

“Wait—“ Subaki shook his head.

“What!?” said Hana. “For real!? Is that even allowed—“

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door that they were standing near. It opened and standing in the doorway was King Garon, his eyes narrow and voice tired. “Afternoon,” he said. At that instant, everyone’s backs straightened as they faced him, standing at attention. “I figured all of you would be here…including you two,” he said, looking straight at the Nohrian princesses. Camilla stood still as Elise side-stepped behind her sister. “All of you in.” He stepped aside. “Lady Sakura?”

Sakura turned to her retainers for a quick second. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?” They nodded as they nudged her to step inside the meeting room. Before Mozu could even see who was inside, she heard another happy scream from Sakura and a couple of other mixed voices in the room. Garon winced, sticking a finger in his ear as Mozu stepped inside the rather large parlor room filled with long couches and seats. The first thing she saw was the group hug that was Sakura and the rest of her siblings. It had been so long since she saw them, their loud red and white colors standing out among the dark, faded colors of the room’s walls. Takumi had his arms tight around her, lifting her a couple of inches off the ground as Hinoka hugged her from behind.  Ryoma stood behind the pile, laughing as he waited his turn. Beside him, sitting in a center seat was Queen Mikoto, also patient to see her daughter. “I can’t believe it!” Sakura said as the Nohrian royals walked in. “Y-You’re all here! In Nohr!” When Takumi finally put her away, Ryoma extended his arms out. “Ryoma!” And with that, she jumped, holding her arms around his shoulder as he spun her around once.

“Sakura, Hoshido’s been darker since you’ve left!” he said, putting her down. “I must admit, I was rather afraid when I heard of your scheme.”

“S-Scheme?”

Ryoma clicked his tongue. “Switching places with your handmaiden? Dangerous business. I didn’t think you had it in you, Sakura,”

“Oh, I-I’m sorry…”

“And that apology tells me that it’s really you and not an imposter.”

Then she frowned. “Wha? Are you just teasing—Ryoma!” He laughed as she turned her attention to Mikoto. “Oh…Mother!”

Mikoto stood up to give her a hug as well, smiling ever so gracefully. “Oh, it’s good to hold you, my dear,” she said, stroking her hair. “I couldn’t help but wonder how you were, to know what you have done.” Sakura drew away, looking up with a warm smile. “You received my letter, did you not?”

“Mhmm!”

“What did you decide in the end?” Now the room was silent. Sakura’s first instinct was to look to Leo, standing in the corner with his other siblings, waiting for introductions. He was caught off-guard for a moment before she nodded, extending her hand. Her siblings kept their eyes fixed on him as Leo shuffled past his siblings, joining Sakura by her side. “Happiness,” she answered. “I chose happiness.” She squeezed Leo’s hand and he met Mikoto’s caring, warm eyes.

“I see,” she said, giving Leo her signature smile. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Prince Leo, was it?”

He nodded, returning the grin. “Correct. It’s an honor to meet you as well.”

Then, Garon cleared his throat, taking the attention of the room as he sat in the seat across Mikoto. “So, you four,” he said. The door closed and Garon took his seat across from Mikoto, clearing his throat. “Before we continue…” He made a motion with his hand to move the rest of them in the corner to join in with the rest. “The Ice Tribe. Will Nohr have its water?”

Xander’s shoulders tensed as he narrowed his brows. “Well, there were a couple of roadblocks and complications, but we have a treaty,” he said. “Nohr’s water is safe.”

Garon clapped his hands once, laughing from his belly as he sat back in his chair. “That’s what I want to hear, good on you. But you two!” he said, pointing to Camilla and Elise. The younger princess gave him a sheepish grin as Camilla sighed, crossing her arms. “This was a test for your brothers. It doesn’t help if their sisters help them cheat!”

“Oh, Father,” Camilla said, shaking her head. “Trust me, it wasn’t like that. I simply _had_ to go to make sure they came home safe,”

“Uh-huh!” Elise nodded, pouting her lips. “If it weren’t for us then—“ Camilla shoved a hand over Elise’s mouth, clamping over it as the girl mad muffled noises behind it. Mozu at first was confused as to why she would shut her up, but then she remembered the presence of the Hoshidan royals. They stared in suspicion as Sakura lowered her head, twirling some of her hair between her fingers. Xander and Garon looked between each other, no doubt having a conversation with only their expressions as Xander’s eyes glanced down at Sakura. Mozu had to agree with the Nohr family’s idea of keeping Sakura’s capture a secret. For now.

Takumi narrowed his brows, crossing his arms. “If it weren’t for…?”

Garon forced a chuckle. “W-We’ll deal with this later,” he said, waving his hand as Camilla took hers away from Elise. “There are more important things to discuss. Namely the treaty, right, Lady Mikoto?”

She sat up straight, hands folded neatly in her lap. “Ah, yes of course.”

He gestured for Leo and Sakura to stand between him and the queen. “Leo,” he said. “I’ll ask you one more time. Are you sure about this?”

Leo nodded once, squeezing Sakura’s hand. “Absolutely.”

“And you, Sakura?” Mikoto asked. “Are you certain as well?”

“Of course.” She glanced up, meeting Leo’s warm eyes as she nudged a little closer.

Even Garon could see that there was no separating them. With a defeated sigh, he shook his head. “Alright. Lady Mikoto.” He took on a more refined, diplomatic tone. “I hereby ask that we annul our treaty precedent on the engagement of Prince Xander of Nohr and Princess Sakura of Hoshido. Instead, I propose a new treaty with the engagement of Prince Leo to Princess Sakura.”

All eyes turned on Mikoto as Sakura waited, holding her breath. The queen glanced between them both, waiting in the edge for her response as she kept them in suspense. “…Granted.” The atmosphere in the room brightened as both sets of siblings applauded the news. Sakura gasped as her expression lit up, turning to Leo quickly and giving him a tight hug. He hesitated for a second on the account of standing before his father and her mother, but he reciprocated right after. “I think it goes without saying,” Mikoto said, her voice quieting the claps. “But you two have my official blessing as well,”

“And mine,” Garon said. “I’m sure you’ve earned it.”

Leo’s voice was lighter than it had been on their entire trip. “Thank you, Father,” he said in earnest. “It means a lot.”

“Well if you can fall in love and save our kingdom at the same time, who am I to stop you?” Sakura hid another soft giggle behind her lips as Leo’s cheeks dashed with pink. Behind him, he could feel the slightly judgmental stares from Sakura’s siblings, one in particular.

Before anyone else could comment, Xander cleared his throat. “Father, I hate to interrupt, but—,”

“Oh!” said the king. “Yes, of course. Come here, you two.” Xander put his hand on Mozu’s shoulder and she suddenly realized what he had meant. Oh no, now was the time to ask for the king’s blessing. In all honesty, she had doubts that he would agree. After hitting his son, yelling at him, then sending him to the Ice Tribe, Xander had to go through a lot for her. For Sakura, it was easier since Nohr wanted her in the first place for the treaty, but this was for Xander’s gain only. As she stood before the king at the crown prince’s side, her heart raced and she felt her palms cake with sweat. _Please, please say yes…a life without Xander is no life at all._

Garon glanced between the two with narrow, scrutinizing eyes as if he were looking for the one hair out of place that would tear their engagement. Xander’s hand was tight around her shoulder, steeling himself with a neutral frown. If he was nervous, then Mozu had every right to be shaking in her boots. Finally, the king laughed under his breath, but it brought no comfort to either of them. “My son,” he started, “this is your last chance. If you back out, I won’t blame you.”

Xander spoke with conviction. “Never. I want this,”

“If I sat here and asked you a hundred times?”

“I would give you one hundred yeses.”

Garon sighed. “Alright…and you?” he said, turning to Mozu. Her hands clammed up as she heard her heart in her ears. “Queen of Nohr is no easy job and I am not an easy man to impress.” She narrowed her brows. “I’m sure you got a taste for it in the mountains. So, are you still willing to stand by my son through the thick and thin?”

Swallowing her fears, she spoke with resolve. “Yes. Until the very end!”

One side of his mouth curled into a smirk, but she wasn’t sure if he was impressed with her answer or not. Again, he made them wait with bated breath. “…Alright.” Her heart swelled with hope. “I can see I won’t win this battle. Xander, you have my blessing to marry this girl, so long as she brings you long years of happiness.” With that, she turned around and with a happy shout, she leapt up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He laughed in turn, holding her close and tight as they heard the cheers and claps around them.

“Of course I will!” she said once her feet hit the ground. “Forever and ever!”

Mozu heard the chuckle coming from the eldest prince of Hoshido once the applause died down. “Well,” said Ryoma. “I must admit, Miss Mozu, I never expected to hear that my sister’s handmaiden would be the new Queen of Nohr instead of her,”

“I’m impressed,” said Takumi, ending with a half-laugh as he stepped up. “Way to rise above the ranks. Just saying, Lord Xander, I know Miss Mozu is very precious to my sister. So if either of you hurt them, just know you’ll have to deal with me.”

Hinoka frowned, nudging his shoulder. “Takumi!” she said. “Don’t say things like that!”

Leo chuckled, titling his head to the side. “It’s fine, Lady Hinoka. I commend Lord Takumi for protecting his sister and her handmaiden. Well, not that she is a handmaiden anymore.”

“Yeah, see?” Takumi said to Hinoka.

“In any case,” said Ryoma. “It seems to me that this joyous occasion calls for some celebration, no?”

“Hm,” said Xander, “not a bad idea. Tell me, how does one celebrate an engagement in Hoshido?”

Ryoma replied, “We drink to the memory of your days as a single man.”

Xander snorted. “Sounds similar to Nohr’s stag night. Except it comes with a hunt.”

At that, Takumi’s expression lit up. “A hunt, you said? Sounds like my kind of party,”

“Careful,” Leo said, his tone teasing, “you haven’t hunted the vicious beasts of Nohr.”

Takumi lifted a brow. “I’d wager my bow against whatever you have any day,”

“Care to prove it?”

“Alright, alright!” Garon said, quieting the two. “Go have your stag party somewhere else. And remember, no drinks before your hunt. Make sure the ground is safe if you’re going to run. And for the sake of our Hoshidan guests, try to keep inside castle walls, please?”

“Yes, Father,” replied the two Nohrian princes.

Mozu had heard many a tale of these kinds of nights, even among the village men. Though she found the traditional slightly barbaric, she was eager to hear the stories the next day about these four men in particular, especially Xander. She half wondered if he could even loosen up and do something idiotic. Only time would tell. Sakura, however, glanced between Takumi and Leo, still squinting at each other as if it were a staring contest.

“U-Uhm, sh-should we be worried?”

“Of course not,” Leo said to her. “We’re all dignified men of royal descent. Just a simple hunt, some wine and water with some laughs, and we’ll fall asleep right after.” Takumi rolled his eyes. _Yeah_ , Mozu thought. _Like that’s gonna happen_.

Mikoto chuckled, looking towards her princes. “Have fun, but please be safe, for the sake of all of you and their betrothed,”

“Yes, Mother,” said Ryoma. He strolled across to Xander, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Miss Mozu. Or is it Lady Mozu now?”

She forced a laugh. Hearing servants say it was one thing but now the High Prince of Hoshido too? “U-Uhm, well…”

“Either way, I’ll make sure to loosen him up a little. He does look kind of stiff.”

Xander’s frown deepened. “I am standing right here,”

“Whoa, I didn’t know it could get _worse_.”

Takumi put his hands on Leo’s shoulders, wheeling him away from Sakura. “C’mon, let’s go already!” he said as Leo walked awkwardly under his control.

“Would you let go of me?”

“C’mon, Ryoma. Bring that one too!”

“Yeah!” he said, also pulling Xander away from Mozu. “Let’s do this!” As Xander and Leo turned around to quickly bid their fiancées goodbye, Ryoma opened the door and they were ferried out. “Hey, Subaki!” he said. “We’re going hunting. Care to join?”

“N-No thank you, Milord. I’ll wait for Lady Sakura—,”

“Suit yourself!” Takumi said, closing the door behind him and Leo.

Once the room was quiet, Mikoto lifted a hand to her cheek and tilted her head. “Oh my…” she sighed. “I hope they won’t get into any trouble. I know Ryoma and Takumi can be quite…rambunctious,”

“Ah, let them be,” Garon said, “if anything, perhaps a stag night will help loosen up my own boys.”

Camilla shook her head, looking at the door. “Hmph. Hopefully not too loose.” She smiled and took a step forward, speaking to everyone. “While the boys are off being boys, how about if us women have a nice, civilized party of our own?”

Elise gasped. “Like a tea party? Or a slumber party? Or both!?”

“Th-that sounds fun!” said Sakura.

Hinoka nodded. “Tea sounds great. We brought some leaves from Hoshido that we’d be happy to share.”

“Splendid!” Camilla clapped her hands together. “And then we can bond as sisters,”

“I like that.” Hinoka put her hand on Sakura’s shoulder. “And, maybe you can tell me this whole ‘switching places’ story?”

“Oooh.” Camilla put a finger on her chin. “I would love the whole story as well,”

“Me too!” said Elise.

Garon sighed, standing up. “You girls go off and have fun too. I’m sure whatever you end up planning will be far more civilized than your brothers. Lady Mikoto,” he said, turning to her. “I’m afraid we’ll have to miss out on the fun and rework our treaty. Not to mention begin the planning of two weddings now,”

“Not at all a problem,” she said, also standing. “I’m sure we’re not the only ones who want these weddings done immediately.” She ended her sentence, looking at Sakura and Mozu with a knowing grin. Mozu snickered behind her lips as Sakura slide behind her.

Camilla headed toward the door. “Alright, my dears, this party isn’t going to start itself!”

Elise turned out to be just as good as planning parties as she was at leading battles. In a matter of a couple of hours, the women had taken one of the finest parlor rooms and brought all they needed along with them. Their round, center table had tea cup sets around its perimeter, and then a tiered tray of individual sweets, from bite-sized cakes to cut pieces of fruit tart. When everyone was ready and had reconvened, everyone had changed from their travel wear to nicer, more comfortable clothes. It was the first time Mozu had seen Camilla in a dress, but the dark, long-sleeved garment suited her well. Elise opted for a puffy, white dress with lace and matching gloves, the dress bouncing when she spoke. Looking over to Sakura and Hinoka, she also noted how rare it was to see the elder sister wear a kimono, even though the burgundy color was dull in comparison to the silky, sky-blue garment of her sister. She felt so plain in her old yukata, the only hint of dressing up being the fake flower crown she was used to wearing.

Camilla strolled around the table, serving everyone their first cup of coffee. “I hope all of us aren’t too tired for this,”

“Are you kiddin’?” Elise said, leaning over the table. “I’m so pumped! I can’t wait to get to know all of my new sisters!”

Hinoka chuckled, thanking Camilla once she served her tea, “I’m curious. Is this party a tradition in Nohr as well?”

“Well,” Camilla sighed, returning to her seat, “of sorts, but it’s not as fun. Usually, the mother-in-law of the noble bride has a small tea session like this, but it is to lay down their expectations in terms of conduct and children.” She paused, watching the room as they stared in discomfort, unsure how to answer. “Hahaha!” She lifted her tea cup in her hand. “This isn’t going to be like that! But…” She looked between Sakura and Mozu. “I suppose it would be my job to acclimate the both of you to our Nohrian customs, especially you, our future queen!” At this point, the laughs became easier to fake for Mozu. “Like…oh my! You’ll need some retainers, won’t you?”

“Sh-she’s right,” Sakura said, “You’re the only one of us w-without retainers.”

Mozu blinked, glancing between all of the women and realizing that it was true. At this very moment, Hana and Subaki, though retainers no longer, were standing guard at the door. “D-do they have to be Nohrian?” Mozu asked Camilla.

She nodded. “You are going to be Crown Princess, then Queen. Your retainers will be more public than those of any other royal family member, including me.” She tilted her head. “Hmm…I suppose you don’t know any Nohrians you would want to appoint at the moment, do you?” Mozu thought about it, crossing her arms. Benny and Charlotte came to mind first, but they were already in service to Sakura. Poor thing, because she knew that Sakura would rather have the two standing watch as her retainers. Other than that, Mozu could only think of Felicia, who was busy spending time in the dungeons for now to care for her father. Keeping her away from Flora after the ordeal would be too cruel.

“U-Uhm…” Sakura mumbled, still gaining the attention of everyone in the room. “S-So…does that m-mean that I-I could possibly have Hoshidan retainers?” Mozu’s eyes widened, knowing exactly why she asked.

Camilla sighed, smiling as she chuckled. “Aw, you want to reinstate the retainers that came to visit you, is that it?”

“I-I just thought I-I’d ask, s-since you said that the C-Crown Princess needs Nohrians, but I’m…not gonna b-be Crown Princess anymore…” Hinoka reached over, putting a hand on Sakura’s shoulder. The elder sister looked over to Camilla.

“Is it possible?” she asked. “Hana’s been with Sakura ever since they were little, and I don’t know anyone more loyal than Subaki.”

Camilla shook her head with a small laugh. “My, my. Well…since you asked so nicely—,”

Sakura gasped. “R-Really!?” she beamed.

“I’ll have to convince Father, but with Lady Mikoto around, I’m sure he’ll give in, haha! But…” Sakura sat back in her chair. “What of your current Nohrian retainers?”

Before Sakura could answer, Mozu jumped in with, “I-I’ll take them!” Now all eyes were on her. “W-Well…when I was pretending to be Sakura, they were r-really nice to me…and even after! Charlotte helped me a bunch of times.” Though, Mozu didn’t forget her odd behavior in the mountains, but like it mattered at the moment. “A-And since I already know them, it’d be a good idea, yeah?”

“…I see,” Camilla said, sitting back in her chair. “Well, they were personally picked to serve the Queen of Nohr. It will be good to allow them to see it out.”

Mozu sighed out with relief knowing that her new (and actual) retainers would be people she knew. Besides, now that she thought of it, she recalled how badly Charlotte needed the money that being a royal retainer paid. Plus, with Sakura reinstating her previous retainers, the arrangement made everyone happy.

“Glad that’s done!” Camilla said. “I’m sure there are a lot of other things we need to arrange, but!” She clapped her hands together. “I’m ready to hear the story!”

“The story?” Elise asked. Then she turned to her future in laws and gasped. “Oh yeah, the switching story!” Since she was sitting next to Mozu, she took her shoulder and nudged it. “Tell us everything!”

Sakura laughed as Hinoka took a sip of her tea, lounging back. “Well…” the young princess started. “I-I guess it kinda began the day we left…”

Mozu sighed, taking a bite of fruit tart as she listened to Sakura weave the tale of the princess and the pauper. When it was time, Mozu related her side and everything that had happened between her and the Crown Prince. From their first meeting, to the dinner where she fainted from a tight dress. She wasn’t as good of a storyteller as Sakura, remembering the most intricate details and using her hands to entertain them, but the princesses still listened. Elise edged closer and closer, resting her elbows on the table and holding her cheeks in her hands as Mozu told them about the encounter with the bear.

During their stories, Mozu looked at the clock on the wall and realized that many hours had passed. She wondered what the princes were up to, especially on a night such as this.

* * *

 

Ryoma had asked, “So why is it a ‘stag’ night?” as they made their way to the forest behind Krakenburg. Xander explained how his Nohrian ancestors had a tradition of emulating the stag, a creature of high masculinity. They were swift and majestic, running freely through the fields and standing tall over their woodland domain. Thus, it was tradition on a transitional night such as this to hunt as they do and run as they do.

Apparently, the Hoshidan princes enjoyed the thought of that.

Takumi had his Fujin Yumi ready as he layed in the thick branches of the trees, staring ahead. Below him was Ryoma, his stance wide with his sword at his side. The High Prince had insisted on wrangling the creature with his bare hands once his brother had weakened it with an arrow, but even Takumi wasn’t sure if that was a sound idea.

Suddenly they looked up and saw the signal. A dark, purple and black beam of energy shot straight into the sky, no doubt a projectile strike from Xander’s Siegfried. The archer could hear the crackles of magic bending the trees well before he heard the loud footsteps of the boar and the two horses chasing after it. This was it. “Stand ready!” Takumi shouted to Ryoma as he sat up, summoning the bowstring of his yumi.

He held his breath, waiting for the boar to come into sight. Just as he saw the snout and tusks emerge, followed by the Nohrian princes on their mounts, he let his arrow fly. It shot the creature between the eyes as it let out a high-pitched squeal. “Yes!” he shouted. “Go, Brother!”

Ryoma crouched, bringing balance to his stance as the boar slowed. With a roar, he grabbed it by its tusks, his feet sliding back on the ground for a few inches before he stopped it. With another cry, he steered it and used the momentum of its run against it, slamming it into a nearby tree. He clapped his hands with a triumphant laugh as the two Nohrian princes halted their mounts.

“Not bad,” said Prince Leo, closing his tome. “So, who shall finish it off?”

Takumi jumped out of the tree, pulling a knife from his belt. “I’ll do it.” Leo shot him a look, lifting a brow. “Hey, you’re not the only one who’s engaged,”

“Thanks, little brother,” Ryoma said with a chuckle as he passed. “Reminding me that I am the only single prince here.”

Takumi shrugged, bending down to the boar. “Hey, with the way Orochi’s been looking at you, you never know.”

Xander chuckled seeing a faint hint of red dash on Ryoma’s cheeks. “Orochi? And who would that be?”

“Hey, this is your stag night,” Ryoma said, crossing his arms. “Even if Takumi is also engaged,” and he kicked his brother’s foot, earning a groan, “we’re here as your guests and for your happiness,”

“That was actually quite touching,” Leo said, leaning over to watch as Takumi ran his hands over the hide. “Will you be needing assistance?”

Takumi pouted, turning back to Leo with dull eyes and keeping eye contact as he sunk the knife into the soft spot of the boar. It gave one last squeal before Takumi twisted the knife, ending it once and for all. “You call that ‘needing assistance’?” Leo rolled his eyes as the archer stood. “So we use its blood, and then what?”

Xander jumped down from his horse. “We’ll carry it back. The tusks make a fine trophy.” He smiled to Ryoma. “Consider it a gift and a memory of this fine hunt,”

“Thank you,” Ryoma said, kneeling down with him to help carry the boar, “however, I’m more excited about what comes after…on three. One, two…” With a grunt, they shoved the boar on their shoulders, lifting it with relative ease since the weight distributed among the two of them. “We’re not going back to the castle, are we?”

“No,” Leo said, taking the reins of both horses, “there’s a hunting lodge on these grounds. It’s small, but a better place to skin this beast,”

“Our retainers,” Xander said as they began to walk, “are already there waiting for us.”

“Perfect,” Ryoma replied.

Krakenburg had a forest behind its main castle and everything in it, including flora and game, belonged to the royal family. Not too far into the trees was the hunting lodge, built for the privacy and relaxation of the royals when it was needed, yet allowing them to stay near the castle. The perfect place for a private, royal engagement party.

The inside was made of almost completely wooden material, apart from the stone chimney. The main downstairs room was spacious, with red rugs on the floor and an assortment of chairs and seats. Around the walls hung trophies of various hunts, including the names of the kings and princes that performed them.

When the princes arrived, the retainers present, Niles, Odin, and Laslow, greeted them with a hearty “Heyyy!” Ryoma and Xander dropped the fat boar onto the large wooden slab laid out for them.

Niles strolled up to them, clapping slowly. “Well done, Milords. Looks like you weren’t kidding about honoring tradition,”

“Neither did I,” Leo said, crossing his arms. “Hell, I don’t think even Father did this,”

“You never know, the old man coulda been spry in his day,” Niles replied. “Odin, can I have the bowl?”

“Oh yeah,” he said, handing him a small, wooden one. “What’s that for?”

To answer his question, Niles procured a knife from his hip-pouch, unsheathing the blade. He placed the bowl under the neck before puncturing it, twisting the knife. Odin and Laslow took a step back as the blood spurted, spouting into the bowl until it overflowed.

Leo made a face. “Remind me why we’re doing this,”

“Because it’s fun,” Takumi said, nudging his shoulder. “Haven’t you ever run through a field barefoot, dirt between your toes and the wind in your face?”

Ryoma chuckled. “I fear the princes have been on their horses for too long. Let’s hope they haven’t forgotten how to use their own legs.”

“Alright,” Niles said, setting the knife down and standing before them. “Shirts off.”

Laslow glanced between the princes removing their top armor. “What kind of a tradition is this?” he asked as they moved to removing their actual shirts and rolling down their yukatas.

“You sure you’re from Nohr?” Niles quipped. “Even I know about the stag tradition.”

Leo rolled his eyes as Niles moved before him first. “It’s still barbaric. We’re not savages—oh, that blood is warm.” He refrained from wincing as the thief drew a vertical line on his cheek.

“Come now, Leo,” said Xander, “Many of Nohr’s noble families still follow these rites,”

“And that makes it okay?” He eyed Niles as he drew markings on his chest.

“I think it’s fascinating,” Ryoma said. “We have many old traditions in Hoshido, but none so primal that connect us to our ancestors, or so close to nature—My, that is warm blood.” He cleared his throat as Niles moved to painting him.

Leo shrugged his shoulders back. “Ugh, it smells and it cakes. Niles, are you sure you’re even drawing the right things? I thought there were supposed to be runes,”

“Nope,” he said, making a shape on Ryoma’s chest. “I’m just going with whatever looks sexy.” He pulled his finger away when Ryoma burst into a hearty laugh, putting his hands on his hips.

Laslow frowned. “Isn’t that kinda ruining the sanctity?”

“Actually…” Xander said. “The stag has always been a symbol of masculine sexuality. So I suppose it wouldn’t be too far off.” He side-eyed his brother, staring at the markings on himself with disdain. The elder prince had to admit that the blood paint looked off on someone like Leo, as opposed to the Hoshidan princes, letting their long hair down and embracing the warrior’s look with dignity. “You seem troubled still?”

“How could I not be?” Leo replied.

“Ugh,” Takumi said as Niles drew lines on his shoulders, “In all seriousness, what does my sister see in you if you don’t like to have fun?”

Leo narrowed his eyes. “I always assumed it was something about my intellect and integrity,”

“That’s it?”

Xander spoke up. “Leo is a multi-faceted individual. I’m sure Sakura sees more in him than the rest of us will never know.” The moment sunk in for a long pause, Takumi’s smug smirk turning genuine as Leo returned the gesture.

“Ah well, that was pretty sweet,” he said. “But to be honest, Prince Leo? I could see how much she cares about you.” Leo crossed his arms, his grin turning smug. “And as long as you keep making her smile, then there’s nothing I need to do, right?”

“Fair enough, Prince Takumi.”

As instructed by the old ways, once their markings were finished, they kicked off their shoes and boots, rolling their pants up to their knees. Odin pulled back a window curtain, peering outside. “Hey, Milords?” he called out. “It’s almost sunset.”

“Perfect,” Xander said, standing up straight and stretching his arms. “There is a cliff not too far from here that we must reach before the sun dips below the horizon,”

“Oh,” Ryoma said, “so we are racing the sun?”

“Of sorts. We must hurry, though, it already has a head start.”

As expected of Nohr, the air outside had already begun to chill, nipping at their bare skin. Leo shivered once, taking slow steps onto the grass. Xander wasn’t too far behind, taking a deep breath of fresh air through his nose then exhaling with his lips. He suspected that he wasn’t the only one who was freezing, but that’s what the run was for. He looked behind him, already feeling the energy charge within him. “Are we ready?”

“Lead the way,” Ryoma said.

“And quickly,” Takumi said. “It’s colder than I thought.”

“Very well. Follow me!” He gestured with his arm before breaking into a sprint. The retainers shouted in excitement, wishing them luck as the three other princes dashed to catch up with him. Before they reached the thick of the forest, he looked beside him as Ryoma caught up next to him, a smirk on his lips as his mane bounced behind him.

Xander must have known how strange it would have looked if someone happened upon four grown princes, stripped down to their knee-length pants and running wildly, adorned with markings from the blood of a boar. If anything, they would have looked like madmen with Takumi whooping in delight as they slide under branches of trees and vaulted over the large logs. Yet, he couldn’t help but smile. The further they ventured, the less he could feel the cold.

He must have cut his bare feet a dozen times already, stepping on twigs and scratching by branches, but they didn’t hinder him. Glancing back, Ryoma was hot on his heels, surely able to outrun him if Xander weren’t guiding the rest, with Takumi shouting words of encouragement for Leo to hasten himself. Now, he understood why generation of nobles and royals still participated in such a primal tradition: the freedom. Here, there was no one to judge, no one to respect or low down upon. They ran, traversing the forest floor like the stags, free from the everyday responsibilities of man and royalty. Though his lungs burned and his legs began to tire, he kept on running, racing the sun all the way. He, his brother, and future brothers were free.

Once Xander reached the cliff, half of the sun had dipped behind the mountains, turning Nohr’s skies orange and pink, blending with the dark, blue skies on the east. He took hasty breaths with his hands on his knees, letting the rush of his veins calm. Behind him, he heard slowing footsteps as he stood next to him.

“Well,” said Ryoma’s voice, taking lighter breaths as well, “Not bad at all. And what a view…”

“Indeed,” Xander said, standing back up. “And the younger ones?” Ryoma pointed a thumb back over his shoulder as they both turned around. Emerging from the forest trees, nearly tripping on his feet, Leo wheezed his way over as Takumi jogged backwards to keep an eye on him.

“Whew!” said the Hoshidan, lifting a foot and sliding down into a seating position with his legs crossed as Leo sat down next to him. “Great run, wasn’t it?”

“Ugh…” Leo groaned, taking his time between big gulps of air, “why…is that fun?”

“Goodness, Brother,” Xander said, leaning over with his hands on his hips, “We may have to fix up your training regimen,”

“Ahem,” he said, staring up with a pout, “my regimen is just fine as a magic-user, thank you very much.” Takumi rolled his eyes, standing up and extending a hand to help Leo up as well. All four took steps forward to watch the sun slowly wane out of sight behind the mountains, bringing the cold, dark night with it. “Well…maybe this made it worth it,”

“You didn’t feel it?” asked Ryoma. “Becoming one with nature and flying freely?”

“With all due respect, Prince Ryoma,” Leo said with a snort. “My tome wields the power of trees and nature,”

“Brynhildr didn’t make this run,” Xander said, “You did.”

Leo half-laughed, looking over his shoulder. “Not to ruin the fun, but, I fear if we stay out here barely dressed as it is, we might catch ill,”

“Ah,” Xander nodded, “you may be right.”

“Does Prince Leo know the way back?” Ryoma asked. “There’s something I wish to discuss with you, Prince Xander.” He thought it strange that his guest couldn’t wait until they returned to the lodge, but he allowed it, nodding. Leo gestured for Takumi to follow him back, but the Hoshidan prince started a light jog to keep warm. With a groan, Leo followed him.

“What is it?” Xander asked.

Ryoma turned back to the mountains, staring out. “I wanted to take a moment. I wasn’t sure how this would go,” he started, “sending my sister to Nohr, a kingdom always at odds with Hoshido, either over its land or its resources. We had all wanted to accompany her and see her wedding, but Mother feared that if she didn’t like you or her new home, then us leaving her would have devastated her.” Xander frowned, wondering where he was going with this. “Even though it wasn’t our plan, I can’t say how thrilled I am that she found her home here, even if it’s at your brother’s side rather than yours.” Xander chuckled in response. “But, it’s not so bad. After all, you found Mozu, yes?”

“I think the feeling was mutual. I wasn’t expecting her, nor was she expecting me. Either way, I can’t imagine anyone else at my side as my wife and queen.”

Ryoma pat his back with a grin. “Good to hear…strange to think, isn’t it?” he said, “That we are to be the future kings of our lands? Yet, I feel anything but right now.”

Xander perked up. “I understand…the freedom is wearing off, but it’s still there.”

“Then, I hope,” he said, “that we remember this moment not as princes, not as future kings, but as the beginning of a friendship,”

He nodded, putting his hand on Ryoma’s shoulder. “I like the sound of that. Friends, then brothers, then princes,”

“Then kings, however far off that may be.”

“Haha, yes.” He smiled. “Well, the memories need not stop here. There is some wine waiting for us at the lodge waiting to warm us,”

“Ah, the warmth will be welcome,” Ryoma said, walking back with him. “Just wine?”

“To start. My retainers did mention bringing something special to commemorate the night…”

* * *

 

It wasn’t the morning light or his internal senses that woke Xander from sleep. No, instead, it was the splitting headache and nausea sitting in his stomach that awakened him. Without opening his eyes or moving his limbs, a groan escaped his throat as his brows pinched together. He turned his head, realizing now that he had slept on his stomach as his face buried into his pillow. He took a slow breath before gaining enough strength to turn on his side, but even that made his head throb and his stomach churn. “Ugh…” Even his voice sounded raspy.

As he opened his eyes, even the dim brightness of his dark room, the windows covered in curtains, still managed to sting. He reached up to rub his eyes before pushing his palms against his head. _What did I do last night?... Oh…_

Let’s see. He definitely remembered the hunt, the run, the arm wrestling drinking contest. He recalled stumbling back to his room through the courtyard, stopping only to expel his dinner, then continue. The last thing he remembered was Laslow dragging him off just as he began his story of how he came to Nohr; the rest was black. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath. Gods, he could still taste the vile drink on his tongue. He thought about sitting up, but his body convinced him that staying down was best at this point. Closing his eyes again, he tried to keep still and calm to not agitate his body further and keep his pain calm. It worked for a good ten minutes.

Two moderate knocks at his door felt like two hammers on his skull and it was enough to make him wince. Before he could hear who it was, he covered his face, mumbling behind his hands. “Mmmgh…”

He heard the door open and close, regardless to whether he let them in or not. “Oh good heavens.” The bright voice suddenly opened his eyes as he recognized it. “They weren’t kiddin’ when they said you went all out.”

“M-Mozu!” Xander catapulted himself to sit up and he met with the full consequences of moving so fast. The headache hissed like a demon, pulsing through his skull as his stomach churned. He put a hand over his mouth and groaned as she strolled to him. “G-Gods, I wish you didn’t have to see me like this…”

“Oh, hush,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed. It was now that he noticed that she carried a tall glass in her hand, filled with a viscous, gold liquid. He almost gagged, recalling the color of the whiskey. “What is that?”

“Hm?” She licked her thumb, smearing it on his cheek. When she pulled her finger back, it was stained red. “Oh…that would be…boar’s blood.” Her eyes bugged out. “I-I can explain…perhaps later.”

“I know the vows haven’t been said yet, but they do say in sickness and in health,”

“Hmm…” He eyed the concoction in her hands. “And…what is that?”

She smirked, presenting it to him. “It’s a hangover cure, passed down generations through my lil’ village. Guarantee to make you feel better.”

Hearing the words “hangover cure” coming from the supreme chef that was his fiancée gave him enough courage to take the glass from her hand, bringing it to his face. Before he could take a sip, he caught whiff of the strong, salty grease, and he pulled it away. “Oh gods, what’s in here?”

“Mmm…” She faked a small laugh. “You sure you wanna know?”

“Please,”

“Okay. It’s a bunch of fat I got from leftover pig and cow, all boiled up with some other stuff like banana and pickles.” He felt bile in his stomach, brows lifting as she put her hands on her hips. “It’ll make you feel better, I promise!”

“Okay, okay…” he said, closing his eyes. “I’ll drink it, but only ask that you keep your voice down.” Mozu nodded once, waiting for him to do so. Xander eyed the mix with a pitiful frown before he brought it to his lips. The second the greasy drink entered his mouth, he wanted to spit it out. It was as if he could feel the pounds come on. Just before he pulled away from his sip, Mozu tipped the glass up, giving him flashbacks to when Ryoma did the same thing.

“Almost got it!” He winced, downing about half before she allowed him to pull away. Seeing the look in his eyes, she put her hand over his lips, which did help him swallow it all back. Xander shuddered, wiping his lips and coughing from the terrible aftertaste. “There we go…was that so bad?”

“Yes,”

“Awe, hush.” She brushed her hands through his hair, following the grain of his curls. “I’m proud of you.” Even as he felt the nauseating mixture go down his stomach, there was something relaxing about her movements. He wanted to retort back that he was a grown man and didn’t need simple praise like a child taking medicine, but…it was oddly nice to hear.

He smiled through his suffering. “Ugh, do I have to finish it?”

“Mmm, yes,” she said with a small laugh, “I’ll give you another kiss if you do,”

“Another—,” She cut him off with her lips, holding his cheek in her palm. He enjoyed it for a second before realizing how terrible his lips must taste, between the alcohol and the hangover cure.

She pulled away with a laugh, wiping her lips. “Eh…not as bad as I thought,”

“Forgive me, that couldn’t have been pleasant…”

“Eh.” She shrugged. “We’ve had better kisses.” Mozu stood up from the side of the bed. “You’re gonna need some rest, but once you finish it and the cure kicks in, you can come find me for that other kiss.”

He took her hand before she left him. “Won’t you stay?” he asked. “I feel at ease when you’re around.”

She gave him a smile, holding his cheek before she pulled away. “I wish. The servants told me your Father wants me to start dress fittings…and then some lessons on ‘formal dining.’” She sighed. “Took me a while to convince them to let me make this for you.”

He sighed too, but he couldn’t go against his father’s wishes either. “I’ll make sure it won’t go to waste,”

“Good.” She put her finger on her lips, blowing him a kiss as she made it to the door. “See you later,”

“Good luck…I love you.”

She blushed. “I love you too…”

* * *

 

“They’re right through here, Lady Sakura.” Hana giggled, taking a moment before she opened the kitchen door. “It feels good to say that again…even if this situation is kinda weird.”

The princess nodded, smiling to the samurai that she hadn’t seen or heard from in months. After all of this time, they carried on like Sakura had never left; that was the beauty of their relationship. She would be happier if it weren’t for the news that Hana had delivered earlier, waking her out of bed for it. Sakura clutched the robe around her waist tighter as Hana opened the door, letting her inside. The first thing she did was gasp when she saw the two princes on the floor. Takumi had Leo’s arm on his shoulder, the Nohrian prince hanging limply on him. “C’mon,” said Takumi, his voice raspy and parched as Leo forced a long groan. He lifted his head, eyes widening. “S-Sakura!” said Takumi,

“Shut up, you mo—Sakura!?” Leo scrambled away from Takumi, bumping into the wall next to him as she watched, her jaw dropping. He leaned up against the wall, brushing his messy blond hair back once with his fingers, but it did nothing to help him save face. He met her eyes with guilt, keeping a palm on his head as he rubbed his temple. “Agh…wh-what’s…” He turned to Takumi. “I’m confused...”

“I think…” He walked over to the counter to lean on it too, “Oh, I remember. We wanted—,”

“Soup!”

“Lower your voice!” Takumi said, rubbing his head. “Huh, wondered what happened to it.”

Hana put her hands on her hips, pointing behind them. “I can take a guess.”

They all turned around, seeing the scorch marks around the stove, including the spilled tomato paste scattered about the area. Sakura scrunched her nose, the scent of raw tomato and thick garlic wafting towards her. She glanced between her brother and her betrothed, noticing what looked like red paint smeared on their cheeks.

“Hana,” she said, keeping her voice calm and unwavering. “C-Can you take Takumi to rest? And find out where Ryoma is?”

“Yes, ma’am!” She took Takumi by the arm, gently leading him out of the kitchen.

“Don’t be too harsh,” he said to Sakura as they passed. “He had a great time…”

Sakura smiled back in response, but waited until they left to approach him. “Let’s sit.” He sighed as she led him to the bench, slumping over onto the table once they sat. “What did you four do?”

“Well,” he started, voice raspy and lacking hydration. “We went on the traditional hunt. Killed a boar.” He sat up. “That’s what this is…” And he rubbed his sleeve over his cheek.

“Th-That’s _blood_?”

“I know, it’s barbaric,” he said, leaving it for now; wasn’t going to wash off without water. “Xander half mentioned it and it intrigued your brothers. And we are eager to please our guests so…”

“So…?”

“We went on a run. Also barbaric, with our bare feet.” He shook his head. “We returned for wine. Decided that it wasn’t enough and then we switched to the hard liquors,”

“Oh my…s-so it was worse than when we had wine?” she asked, a grin on her lips.

Leo rolled his eyes. “Darling, I barely remember the second half of last night…much less what possessed your brother and I to attempt to make soup,” he said, gesturing to the broken pot.

“Well, you two both love soup,”

“We do?” Leo scratched his head. “Huh…”

“So how did the…uh…drinking go?”

“Oh gods.” He chuckled, eyes looking up to recall the memory. “Ryoma challenged Xander to an arm-wrestling competition. Loser of each round had to down a shot.”

Sakura tilted her head to the side. “That seems unfair.” Leo nodded. “If you lose more, then you’d just get drunker.” Kept nodding. “And really be unable to win anymore—oh…”

“And therein was the problem,”

“Oh my…” She put her fingers on her lips. “Oh gods, are they okay?”

“Hopefully.” Leo shrugged. “Laslow and Odin dragged them off, I remember that. It was strange.” He crossed his arms. “Xander’s face looks the same while he’s drunk, frown and crease, but his _body_ …he walked as if he were made of jelly.”

Sakura giggled behind her lips. “As long as you had fun…I was a little worried.” She reached forward, fixing his collar and patting down his shirt. “Apparently, the training ground is torn to shreds with magic arrows and tree branches.”

He winced. “Oh…that’s not good,”

“Don’t remember?”

“Unfortunately.” He shook his head, taking her hands in his. “I hope I haven’t embarrassed you as much as I have myself.”

Sakura leaned in, kissing his nose. “Hey, you deserved a night of fun. And, it seems like you got along with Takumi, which is a big relief,”

“Yeah, he was harder on me than your eldest brother.” He lifted a brow. “We must have become friends somehow in the period of time I can’t remember,”

“As long as you’re friends.” She reached up, running her fingers through his messy hair, trying to make it look better, but it didn’t help much. Either way, he leaned into her gentle touch, a warm smile appearing on his lips. Sakura noted how goofy he appeared, with his disheveled shirt and hair, and the smear of red on his cheeks. Almost like a child. “How do you feel?” she asked.

“Me? I’m fine…” He squeezed her hand. “Just f—“ His eyes widened as he put a hand over his chest. “I…” Concern washed over her face as Leo stood up, looking between her and the sink of the kitchen. “Ah…I’m fine, ah, no—“ He dashed to the sink, leaning over as Sakura heard the wretched sound of him vomiting. Her eyes bulged and her jaw dropped as he coughed, reaching for a nearby towel.

“Oh gods…”

Leo groaned, not daring to lift his head. “F-Forgive me…”

“I-It’s fine.” She stood up. “I-I’m going to go find Mozu and s-see if there’s more of the h-hangover cure,”

“That…that would be lovely,” he replied, putting the towel over his lips and turning back to thank her. Sakura dashed out of the kitchen, rolling her eyes and jogging down the hall.

_Still going to marry him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's that. I had originally planned to actually write out the drunk scenes but I thought it would be much funnier to leave it up to imagination. But yey for Hoshidan fam coming back. Now all we need is two weddings to close the story and we're done ;w;


	25. From Dusk...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OTL So sorry that it took too long! The chapter was finished for weeks but we had issues with betaing that will hopefully be solved before the next(and final) chapter takes place. I'm so pleased to post the penultimate chapter right now before I begin working on XanMozu week for April
> 
> Thanks for your support and enjoy!

**From Dusk...**

 

For days, Windmire had been erecting tents, accommodating Hoshidan merchants, and raised banners all in preparation for the upcoming week. The Festival of Unity would be one week long, beginning on the Sunday of Prince Leo and Princess Sakura’s wedding. For one week, merchants from Nohr and Hoshido were invited to participate in the celebration. Garon had told Xander that because of his status as successor, he had wanted to grant him the earlier day, but Nohr needed the treaty signed as soon as possible. Thankfully, the elder prince didn’t seem to care that his wedding would be on the following Saturday, bringing the festival to a grand close. Each minute and hour brought the days closer…

On Sunday morning, Mozu paused in the middle of the hallway on her way to the dressing room. She could look out the wide window onto the city before her. It popped with more color than she had ever seen from the balloons and banners and its streets packed with merchant tents. She longed to sneak out and see it for herself, but she told herself then that she would have the middle of the week to do so. With a soft laugh, she continued on her way and wondered if dressing her, Sakura, and Leo as peasants would work again.

She noticed that she was the only one walking (at a brisk pace, but still) among these halls. Every maid, butler, and occasional noble had been light on their feet, jogging or running. No doubt last minute scrambling for the wedding. Finally, she reached the door, finding Subaki standing guard. She bade him good morning and he the same. Funny, for she was reminded that for the longest time in her head, this day would have gone completely different.

A couple of weeks ago, Mozu would have woken Sakura from bed and informed her that it was her wedding day. With only duty and love for her country as motivation, Sakura would have walked with her and allowed Mozu to dress her in the Nohrian gown of white and gold. She imagined that she would have faked many smiles that day, trying not to show any sign of emotion as the princess walked down the aisle alone to meet Xander. With Leo included, all four would have been in misery.

But not today. Today, she strolled into the room with a grin on her face and her spirits held high. Sakura sat down in a chair facing a mirror as Hana brushed her hair for her, speaking rather loudly. Hinoka passed by her with a tray of tea, greeting Mozu as she walked across to deliver the tray to Mikoto who was sitting in a chair against the wall. “Good morning,” said the queen as Mozu closed the door behind her. Only a couple of times had she seen the queen so under-dressed—hair loose and unkempt while wearing a simple, thick robe—yet, she still retained her grace and poise even with stray hairs about her head.

Sakura turned her head, beaming as she stood. “Good morning, Mozu!”

“Mornin’!” she said to them. “How did you sleep?”

“I-I don’t think I did,” Sakura replied with a small laugh. “It’s strange. I feel t-tired, but I’m not!”

Mikoto sighed, taking the tea cup in her hands. “You need your rest, my dear. Imagine if you yawned during your vows!”

Sakura’s cheeks flushed red as her sister snickered at the remark. “I-I won’t! I p-promise!”

“Haha! Perhaps you should take a small nap in a couple of hours, when you feel fatigued.”

“Ah,” Hana said, crossing her arms, “but then you’d mess up your hair. Not to mention wrinkle your kimono.” She gestured to the white garment hanging on the mannequin behind her. Mozu fixed on it for a minute, scrolling down its expert seams and small details in the obi. Was that a flower charm on the middle sash? Oboro really outdid herself this time. It was too bad that her extreme aversion towards Nohr prevented her from stepping a foot on the other side of the Bottomless Canyon, as Prince Takumi had said. Maybe if she knew that her old friend from Hoshido would be the new queen, she would visit.

“It’s alright,” Mozu piped up. “Your hot bath will put you right to sleep!”

“Oh Gods, you’re probably right!”

She nodded, gesturing to the door. “If you’re ready, we can go now.”

“Huh? Oh, Mozu.” She sighed, folding her hands in front of her. “You’re not a handmaiden anymore…there’s no n-need for you to do that.”

“What if I _want_ to?”

Sakura glanced towards Hinoka and Mikoto, who responded with gentle nods. “Alright,” she sighed out, following her out. “J-Just this once…o-okay?”

“Fine by me.”

Mozu had the routine memorized before they left Shirasagi. A quick hair brush in the morning after breakfast, then off to a bath. Sakura held back laughs behind her hand as Mozu scattered rose petals onto the water. It wasn’t her fault that custom dictated that a bride had to adopt a flowery fragrance onto herself. Besides, as she pointed out, the same thing would most likely happen to her in six days.

“Hey, Mozu?” she asked, rubbing the soap onto her shoulders. “I-I just thought of s-something,”

“Hm?”

“You don’t…have anything t-to wear, do you?”

“Wha? Oh!” Mozu stood up to bring her a small towelette for scrubbing. “I was just gonna wear one of those fancy Nohrian dresses in my cabinet.”

“Oh…” She pursed her lips, rubbing her forearm with the cloth. “N…Not a kimono, then?”

Mozu paused, closing her lips. Sakura didn’t have to say much to get the wheels turning in her head. Not that there was anything wrong with wearing a dress, but Mozu was Hoshidan. Today would be the day to recognize both cultures as equals and those who represent them. To forget that would be an insult in its own small way. “Well, I don’t have one.” The water made soft splashes as Sakura moved closer to the edge.

“I-I know. Maybe you would w-want to…borrow one of mine?”

Mozu snorted. “What, like old times?”

She giggled back. “I-I suppose, but this t-time, everyone knows the t-truth.” _What a relief_. Mozu agreed to take Sakura up on the offer and then figured later that she should somehow acquire kimono sets for herself. She had a sinking feeling that there would be come criticism in that decision, but that hardly weighed in on it.

As the hour drew nearer, time began to slip away faster. Just after leaving Sakura for a quick nap, Mozu found herself running down the hall to her room, kimono in hand. She rushed to put it on so she could work on her hair and attempt a style that didn’t scream “peasant” like it usually did. She fixed the jade-colored kimono about her body and tied the amber obi about her waist, making it nice and snug. It had been a while since she had worn a formal kimono. _Not since I was pretending to be Sakura._ She took a moment to look in the mirror and glanced up and down, placing her hand on her chest. This was one garment she never managed to wear, but it brought back the memories all the same. The nature of her lies weighed her down, and no doubt they would continue to do so, but... Everything had worked out in the end, didn’t it? With a quick smile, she strolled to her vanity to fix her hair.

Mozu touched up her formal bun on the way back to Sakura’s dressing room. She should be awake by now and hopefully had begun dressing. Walking back in, only Hinoka and Hana were there with her. Sakura stood on the platform before the mirror, her robes slightly out of place as Hinoka tugged on the obi. “C’mon!” she growled as the bow fell apart.

“You had it fine the first time, Milady,” Hana said.

“Yeah, but it has to look perfect! It has to…oh, Mozu!” They all turned as the door closed. “Could I trouble you for some help?...”

“Sure!” She made her way over, fixing the front of Sakura robes before taking the untied obi from Hinoka. “Did you rest, Sakura?”

“M-Mhmm! I-I feel a little sleepy still.”

“That’ll change,” Hinoka said with a smile, “once we get you there.”

“You’re right—oof!” Sakura let out a gasp as Mozu tightened the obi around her waist, tying the perfect bow behind her back.

“There…” She took a step back to see her from a better view. Sakura glanced behind her before facing the mirror, turning around once. The sight alone tugged at Mozu’s chest, making little butterflies flutter inside. Sakura looked beautiful in dress, but she was radiant in the kimono. Though it was simpler and plain, its shape and cut framed her figure perfectly. Today, she was a bride. Mozu felt a happy lump in her throat as she held back her elation, watching a smile creep on the princess’s lips.

“Wow…” Hinoka’s usual brash voice took a level in softness as she held her hand out, helping Sakura step down from the podium. “You look amazing.” A quick laugh escaped Sakura as she hung her head, trying to hide her grinning cheeks.

Hana glanced up at the clock hanging above the door. “It’s nearly time, Lady Sakura,” she said.

Hinoka slid next to Mozu, looking down at her. “She’s right. Do you know where the temple is?”

Mozu knew the Nohrians called it something different, but she wasn’t about to correct her. “Uh-huh. It’s this way.”

Krakenburg’s halls were decorated with banners and ribbons among its columns and pillars, sporting Hoshido’s white and red. The sudden burst of color made the black and pale lavender walls of the castle sickly in comparison, but it was its message that counted. Even though Mozu cared about Sakura’s happiness with Leo the most, she was reminded that this was a joyous day for both kingdoms. With this marriage came a new ideal of hope, a new era of peace. At least, that was the goal. There would be a lot of hard work and dedication required on their parts, but this was a start.

In Hoshido, should Sakura have married one of her countrymen, the wedding would have been held in a temple outside of the castle. However, Krakenburg had its own private chapel housed inside its walls. Outside were two separate rooms: the groom’s was guarded by Leo’s retainers and the bride’s had Takumi and Ryoma standing by. The Hoshidan princes had on their finest yukatas, their usual long messes of hair tied back and combed neatly. Even Ryoma’s usual spiky hair didn’t look as wild as it usually was. No doubt they were hanging back for Ryoma to fulfill his role in walking Sakura down the aisle.

The chapel was divided into two, its pews sporting different colored ribbons. On the left were the Nohrian colors of dark purple and black. On the right were the bright Hoshidan reds and white, the colors that drew her eyes. She looked around, not recognizing any of the Nohrian nobles or Hoshidans that managed to visit for the wedding and festival. Xander’s retainers stood at the side, clad in their formal uniform and standing opposite to Mozu’s on the Hoshidan side of the room. Hana passed Mozu with Subaki to join them in their place, leaving her with Hinoka.

“Mother’s up front,” she said, leading the way. She paved the way past the nobles from either state, greeting the ones she knew by name. Mozu knew that Hinoka was never much of a diplomat, so to see her exchanging even the quickest pleasantries made her think that she should do the same. Of course, all she got were the strange stares from the Hoshidan and Nohrian nobility alike; no doubt from being an outsider.

Just when her spirits threatened to fall, she met Mikoto at the front pew, sitting with her back straight and hands folded in her lap. “Ah, you two look so beautiful.” Hinoka thanked her quickly, but Mozu had to blush first and stammer her thanks. It wasn’t every day that someone as radiant as Mikoto delivered a compliment. “Mozu?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Please, sit by me.” She bit her lip, hesitating because in her head, she assumed Hinoka earned that spot next to her mother. Seeing the princess take a different spot allowed her to sit, albeit with wobbling legs. She willed herself to sit still, placing her fists on her lap.

“Thank y-you.”

Mikoto turned to her, her disposition as gentle as always. If Mozu didn’t know who she was and what rank she carried, there would have been no way that she was that nervous. “In my visions of Sakura’s future, I had only seen her and the two Nohrian princes. There was no mention of you at all, Miss Mozu.” Her back straightened, fingers squeezing each other as the queen continued. "I was so surprised to hear that Nohr's Crown Princess would not be my daughter, but her handmaiden instead!"

Mozu forced a small laugh. Even after weeks of wedding rehearsals and Mikoto compromising traditions with Garon, it seemed like both still couldn’t believe Xander’s choice. She wasn’t sure how to reply to something to like that and stammered out, “I-I’m sorry…”

“For what?” Mozu froze, realizing now that it was out of place. “It only means one thing.” The warmth seemed to fade some from Mikoto’s eyes with a hint of pity in her tone. “The gods have forsaken you.” She moved her hand to the girl’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “I knew from the moment Sakura had taken you in. I’ve had visions of my people, of my children… but none of you.” Mozu felt a cold sweat coming on as her heart raced inside her chest. “Yet, you’ve gone and made a life out of the ashes. Fought for the same happiness that Sakura has.” Now, she stared up at her ,mesmerized by her words. She was sure that the queen made her out to be more than she actually was, but nothing she said was untrue. “Because of that, I am thrilled to see you become Nohr’s queen when the time comes.”

Mozu scratched her cheek. “Thank you, L-Lady Mikoto… to tell ya the truth, I’m terrified.” She sighed. “After every lesson, I always think that I’m gonna be a bad queen,”

“Hm.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “You will make mistakes. But, you will learn to mend them, learn to never make them. As long as you keep your eye on peace and prosperity, you will do well.” Mozu nodded, letting her words sink on. Hopefully, she could reflect on them in the future. “Either way, I’ll be proud to call you my daughter as well.”

“D-Daughter!?” she said, almost too loud. “Ahah, b-but we won’t be…?”

“No? Today, Sakura and Leo join our familiars. On Saturday, you will marry into that family, will you not?” She swallowed back, nodding once. “Then by marriage, you will also be my daughter, just as you will become a daughter of Nohr.” Around them, the nobles began to disperse and take their seats, signaling the oncoming beginning of the ceremony. Mozu looked over her shoulder as she noticed Camilla and Elise take their seats in the front pew on the other side. Joining them were Garon and Xander, both dressed in regal suits and capes for the occasion. She grinned, realizing how such garments suited her fiancé, born to bear them. In the next moment, he turned his head, catching her stare. With a quick smile, he gave a subtle wave of his hand before Camilla reached over, taking his chin in her hands and facing him forward. She could hear Garon laugh and no doubt, Xander’s sour expression took over. Mozu faced forward as well, giggling behind her hand.

Mikoto’s voice broke her out of trance. “My, you really love him.”

“H-Huh?” Beside her, Hinoka stifled a snort behind her hand as Takumi walked up, taking a seat beside her. He nudged his sister, whispering to her as Mikoto continued.

“I’m so glad... You’ll take such good care of him.” She let out a wistful sigh. “Katerina will be so happy to know that.”

Mozu blinked. “O-Oh, that’s right… you knew her,”

“Yes.” Her voice quieted. “A brilliant woman and a good friend. I’m sure she would have really loved you.”

As the chapel’s voices quieted, Mozu sat straight in her seat with a smile. Hearing that seemed to ease her heart, enough that she no longer heard it in her ears. Her finger found the ring on her left hand, stroking its facets. A comforting thought, much needed for the week ahead.

All of the whispers quieted, marking the beginning of the ceremony. Like a whisper, she heard the beginning notes of Nohr’s chapel piano begin its melody—Xander called it an organ. The first two people to walk the aisle were two men. The one on Nohr’s side dressed in dark robes, carrying a thick tome in his hands. He walked beside a man clad in Hoshido’s Onmyoji robes, carrying a black basin with water. They both stopped in front of the altar, bowing to it before the Nohrian man made his way behind it. The Onmyoji stood before the altar, looking down the aisle.

Next were Leo’s two infamous retainers, dressed in their formal uniforms. Surprisingly, their expressions carried subdued kind of smiles, neither a cheeky grin nor snide smirk from either. Upon reaching the end, they drew the thin rapiers at their hips and faced each other, crossing their blades. So far so good.

Alone, he paced down the aisle, his chin up high and his eyes unwavering. Leo wore a traditional obsidian crown of Nohr above his head, like thorns of its black rose. His cape covered one shoulder, its fur lining dragging on the red carpet below his feet. His coat of deep purple has so many gold intricacies and details that Mozu thought she should spend hours outlining them all. But, she would leave such a task to Sakura. Upon reaching his retainers, his eyes glanced between them, side to side. She saw Odin bite down on his bottom lip, repressing a smile as Niles pressed his into a thin line. Leo squinted at them for a moment as he passed through the rapiers, cueing them to sheathe and bow out. When he reached the altar, he turned to present himself to his guests and face the two families. Even Mozu had to admit that the prince was very handsome, exuding dignity and poise. _I wonder if Xander will look like that on our day… or even better._ Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she glanced back, knowing who would be next.

There wasn’t a stray eye in the room when they made their first step onto the aisle. Mozu felt her breath leave her as she finally saw it with her own two eyes: Sakura’s wish. With Ryoma at her side, the princess held onto his arm as he guided her down the red aisle, pride from his smile reaching his eyes. Even though Mozu had seen her earlier in the dressing room, Sakura suddenly seemed more radiant than before. Her cheeks were a light pink, eyes bright with hope. In rehearsal, she had kept her head down, much to the frustration of the planner; today, however, she held her head high and kept her eyes focused ahead, staring at no one else but her groom. Mozu looked forward, finding that Leo’s tight brows and lips had vanished. His lips were parted, his eyes unmoving as she came closer to him. When she glanced between them, she realized that they were unaware of anyone else in the chapel. They were in a world of their own where neither were royalty. Mozu saw that Sakura and Leo that had fallen for each other, despite all obstacles.

The organ stopped when Sakura reached the altar. She faced Ryoma and let go of his arm, exchanging a bow before he took a seat next to Takumi, patting his shoulders. Leo extended a hand to his bride, turning them both to face the Onmyoji before them. Though Garon and Mikoto had agreed upon a Nohrian wedding, she had fought for the sacred rite of _harae_ to be including in the least. It was important to Sakura, as a Hoshidan Princess and a trained priestess of the shrine. The Onmyoji offered her the water first and she dipped the tips of her fingers into it, spreading it about her palms and placed drops on her eyes, cheeks, and lips. Before the priest moved to him, Leo removed his gloves to do the same, mimicking Sakura’s movements. In rehearsal, he had always put too much water or too little; good to see that he had done it right.

Once his role was fulfilled, the priest bowed to them both before exiting away from the altar. The Nohrian priest placed his tome on the altar, opening it to a saved page. He cleared his throat, speaking in a clear voice to keep the room. “Gods in the heavens, turn thy gazes upon today, for we are joined by the families of the Dragon of Dawn, and the Dragon of Dusk. For the first time in decades, they will set aside all wrongs to come together in the name of everlasting peace. Love has brought us here today. May it continue to guide us down the road.” He faced the two of them. “Prince Leo of Nohr. Princess Sakura of Hoshido. Join your heads and kneel.” Slowly, the two faced each other as Leo offered his left hand, Sakura taking it with her right. They lowered onto their knees before the altar, waiting for their next cue. “Princess Sakura, please recite your vows.”

And here is where Mozu’s heart tightened. Under the judgmental eyes of Garon and the Nohrian priest, Sakura had always fumbled on her vows with her stammer. Before managing them fine on the last two rehearsals, she once had cried to Mozu that her inability to recite them would doom her marriage to Leo. _Come on_ , she thought. _You can do it, you can do it!_

“B-B-B.” Oh gods. Mozu held her breath, trying not break face. “B-Benevolent g-g-gods—“

Suddenly, she froze up like a statue. Mozu saw her face beginning to turn to her family and Mikoto’s hand found hers, squeezing it tight. In the deafening silence, Leo took his free hand and faced her back to him. Though concern had washed over him, he leaned in, whispering into her ear. It was too faint to hear but he returned with a soft smile to her. Sakura’s fear-stricken eyes had calmed and she nodded once. “Benevolent gods in the heavens a-above. T-today, in this marriage ceremony I wish t-to offer myself to my b-betrothed before me.” Mikoto’s hand slackened in its grip and Mozu still held it out of support. “In our m-m-marriage, I will strive for a p-peaceful life of j-joy, battling through the s-sorrow and hardships it may bring.” With each passing word, her voice gained more confidence and blocked out the wavering feelings. “T-Together, we shall w-walk this path. O Gods that watch o-over this, please honor us and protect us. With this p-prayer, I offer my vows to you.”

Mozu’s chest dropped as her vows finished, a weight dropping off her shoulders. Though Leo tried to keep face, he clearly couldn’t hide the pride and love within his warm eyes.

“Prince Leo, please recite your vows.”

He cleared his throat. “As I kneel under the gods, I make these promises to you today. I take you as you are, who you were, and who you may become. In order to see the days of blue skies and happiness, I will stand by your side through all trials. In order to give us a life of prosperity, I will dedicate myself to earning each luxury I grant you. In order to give our beloved kingdoms a brighter future, I vow to accept you and your family into my heart as you will with mine. With this prayer, I offer my vows to you.”

It was now that Mozu could hear scattered sniffling and could see many, including Princess Camilla and Lady Mikoto, press her fingers against their eyes to dull any tears. Beside her, Takumi held the hands of his siblings tightly as they watched their beloved sister up on the altar.

“Bow your heads,” said the priest. “Gods, let their prayers resound. We humbly ask that you watch over this couple and grant them longevity for their health and their marriage.” He paused. “Princess Sakura. Do you take Prince Leo to be your wedded husband and accept the title of Princess of Nohr?”

She didn’t hesitate. “I do.”

“Prince Leo. Do you take Princess Sakura to be your wedded wife?”

Neither did he. “I do.”

“Please rise.” They lifted themselves off the floor, facing each other still. “By the order of the gods and power vested within me, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife, and Prince and Princess of Nohr. You may now kiss the bride.”

The quiet died with thunderous applause as Leo pulled in his new wife for a kiss, holding her waist. Sakura held his head in her hands, their smiling lips coming together. Mozu had told herself that she wasn’t going to cry, but elation overwhelmed her and she found her vision blurring. A tear found the corner of her grin but it didn’t stop her from clapping even more.

An age of hope had begun.

The reception wasn’t as entertaining as Mozu thought it would be, but she figured that anything labeled with the word “Royal” had to carry that burden. In her village after the vows were said, everyone would be drinking and dancing until sun up, even after the couple had retired. _This_ was no dance.

Instead, she along with the rest of the royal family sat in a long tables in the reception hall, their backs toward the walls as a line of Hoshidan and Nohrian nobles gathered in the center. One by one, each had come to the couple sitting dead center, offering their salutations and their gifts. Leo and Sakura had said “thank you” so much that the words began to sound like anything but. Both of them had to sneak yawns behind their hands.

Not to mention how starving they must be if Mozu was already feeling the little growls in her stomach. She nudged her fiancé next to her. “That’s not gonna be us, is it?” she whispered to him.

Xander leaned to her. “Unfortunately.” She grumbled. “Mind you that these are only the nobles that decided to attend.”

She lifted a brow. “You think there are more?”

“Do I believe that some of them oppose this union?” Mozu frowned as he returned to sitting straight. “Very, _very_ few. But yes, I do.” That statement didn’t sit with her well. Maybe she was biased because of how much she cared for Sakura and Leo, but even those who didn’t had to admit that Nohr needed this treaty. She had already come to the conclusion that many would oppose her own engagement, but to think that it extended to theirs came off as strange.

After the nobles had dispersed, the royal family and their retainers were left alone for the dinner. Standard Nohrian steaks of the best cuts, cooked to rarity with mushroom sauce on the top. Even though it was delicious, Mozu believed that she could have prepared it in a better way. With far better mashed potatoes as well.

“Lady Mozu?” She looked behind her upon hearing the smooth voice of Laslow. “The girl from the Ice Tribe wants to speak with you.”

Xander answered for her. “About what?”

“It’s fine,” she said, standing. “I’ll go see her.”

Truth be told, Mozu had been slightly worried about Felicia. She spent all day in the dungeons caring for Kilma as he awaited his trial. To rub salt in his wounds, he was forced to wait for a trial date after the very weddings he tried to stop, prolonging his existence and her stay even longer. Laslow led her around the perimeter of the reception hall to the exit. He took her to a nearby balcony where she was waiting at, staring out into the night. The retainer excused himself back to the reception hall as Mozu made her way to her. “Felicia?” The girl turned. “Did you call?”

“Y-Yeah. I hope that’s okay…” Mozu nodded, allowing her to continue. “I, uh… I just wanted to o-offer my congratulations to the couple. Though, I wasn’t sure if I was allowed ‘cause of…” She trailed off, looking to the ground. _Because my father is going to be in trial for attempted murder._ “Anyway, Flora said to go to you so... yeah.”

“Aw, that’s sweet of you,” she said, returning with a smile. “I’ll be sure to let ‘em know.” She tilted her head. “For what’s it’s worth, you can come to mine if you’d like.”

“O-Oh, thank you. Maybe I will…” Something told her that perhaps Felicia didn’t feel like attending the wedding of her father’s defeater. She glanced to the reception hall as a round of laughter came from the door. “I-It’s the whole family, right?”

“Mhmm. I haven’t even got a chance to talk to her since we were gettin’ ready. Heck, I’ll probably see less of her now that she’s got a husband.”

Felicia giggled at the joke, probably the first genuine smile she cracked since arriving. “Same is gonna go for you on Saturday, isn’t it?” She shrugged in response. Though, she was probably right. “Are your parents gonna be there too?”

The words had to sink in for a minute, her smile fading into a neutral frown. She opened her mouth to say one thing, hesitated, and decided on something else. “Th-they will be… i-in spirit, I ‘spose.”

Felicia leaned her head to the side. “Huh?”

“They… my parents have passed,” she admitted. “Them and my whole village. It was a while ago.”

She gasped, holding her hand over her mouth as if she had said some foul curse. “O-Oh Gods. Lady Mozu, I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to bring it up!”

“No, no, it’s fine!” She waved her hand. “You didn’t know. ‘Sides, I’m sure what I said’ll be true. They’ll be there in spirit.”

Felicia sighed out in relief, holding her chest. “That’s nice to think. I’m sure you’ll be just as happy. Or even more!”

“Sure.” Somehow, the reaction didn’t stick. Mozu shrugged, holding her own hands. “Well, I oughta go. Dinner’s gonna end soon and we gotta see the two lovebirds off.”

Felicia nodded, giving her a slight curtsey. “Of course. Thank you, Lady Mozu.” She gave her a smile. “I’ll… see if I can drop by on Saturday,”

“I’ll be happy to see you.” With that, she bid her goodbye and made her way back to the reception hall. Upon opening the door and sliding in, there was an uproar of forks tapping on the glasses. All eyes centered in on the couple as Leo pulled Sakura to stand beside him. _Wasn’t there supposed to be a kiss?_ Mozu didn’t see any sign of a peck and instead found everyone else standing, putting their glasses down. _…What’s going on?_

Garon cleared his throat, quieting the room. “Been a long day,” he started, “hope you can stay awake to see it out.” Leo responded with nothing, simply clearing his throat as Sakura glanced between the both of them, worry setting in. “Round them up.”

In that moment, there came scattered shouts and laughs. The male retainers zeroed in on the prince and before Mozu could wonder what was going to happen, they hoisted him up. Her jaw dropped, even more so when she saw her own fiancé and the Hoshidan princes partaking in the charade. She heard Sakura give a yelp in shock as the female retainers and her sisters did the same. Unceremoniously, they were carried towards her direction to the door and all Mozu could really do was step outside. “What’s going on?!” she asked as the two groups passed her.

“Tradition!” Niles called back, ending in a cackle as Leo made a fuss about him tugging on his cape. Behind them were Mikoto and Garon, the latter laughing from his belly.

The lady simply sighed, gesturing for Mozu to follow. “I didn’t expect Nohr to have so many traditions that were so…”

“Barbarous?” answered Garon, to which Mikoto had wanted to protest. “No, it’s alright, Lady Mikoto. It’s all in good fun.”

She chuckled, “Well, at least Lady Mozu is prepared for it later on.”

Mozu swallowed thickly as Garon laughed once more. “That is if they manage to lift Xander. The boy is too damn tall.”

Forgetting who she was talking to, Mozu scoffed. “Tell me about it.” Ah, now she remembered. She met their looks of surprise with one of her own, her cheeks bright red. After a moment, the king and queen laughed, their shoulders bouncing as Mozu sighed in relief.

The crowd reached the new suite that Leo and Sakura would move into, one with a larger bed and more space to accommodate two royals. Upon peeking into the room, the women and men had tossed them together onto the bed, applauding as they scrambled to sit up and fix their clothes and hair. Poor Sakura’s cheeks matched her hair as she sat with her hands on her lap, exuding the upmost modesty. Leo’s crown wasn’t working with his hair anymore, so he tossed it aside, his face keeping as much composure as he could. The claps died down as the king and queen stood before them. It was a wonder how nonchalant everyone was, Mozu thought. Was this common among royal marriages? In her village weddings, sure there would be drunk guests banging their fists on the door and shouting vulgarities, but nothing where the couple was carried into bed.

Oh Gods, she didn’t have to watch, did she.

“Dear,” Mikoto said, still speaking ever so proper, “You handled the ceremony and reception with such grace and I’m sure you will continue to do so.”

“Indeed,” Garon said, looking to Leo. “Make us proud.” They bowed to the new couple as those behind them began to shuffle out. The princesses couldn’t hide their giggles behind their hands very well. As Leo’s retainers slid behind the two regents, they made lewd gestures with their hands that the sight made the couple’s eyes bulge. Xander rolled his eyes at them and pushed forward, taking Mozu by the shoulder.

“Shall we?” he said to her as she followed him out of the door.

“Please.”

Well. Glad that’s over with.

* * *

Since the wedding on Sunday, Mozu hadn’t seen Sakura for a couple of days. She missed her for sure, but she completely understood why neither had the time. At least for now. For one, she was busy enjoying the festival with her new husband and showing her siblings around Windmire. Meanwhile, Mozu had been stuck indoors with tutors and final adjustments for her own wedding. Now, she was in the middle of a very familiar feeling.

“Not too tight please!” she pleaded to the dressmaker. She didn’t want a repeat of the first time she had worn a dress with laces. Thankfully, he had given her some slack as he finished up with the laces.

“Ah, there we go!” he pulled away and directed her attention to the mirror. “What do you think, Lady Mozu?”

Shuffling on the podium, she turned to face herself in the mirror. Her eyes widened, barely recognizing herself. It was as if someone had cut off her head and placed her into a different body wearing a gorgeous dress of white and gold. The gown was similar to Sakura’s, but the dressmaker had made some adjustments to make it fresher. Mozu was never about exposing her shoulders on the account of her freckles, especially how they popped against the colors of the dress. The sleeves stopped at the elbow and finished with a loose and see-through cut. He had added more design on the gold lace trimmings on the corset part, giving the illusion that she had a slimmer waist when the opposite was true. And then there was the big, poofy skirt. Or at least, it had been; it made Sakura look like a cupcake. This time, it smoothed out more and there was ruffle draping on the back, making a small train on the floor. 

“Golly,” Mozu breathed, turning side to side to see herself. “I-I really don’t deserve to wear somethin’ like this,”

“Nonsense!” said the dressmaker. “It is fit for a queen, which you will be. Am I wrong?”

“Ah…” She bit her lip, turning towards the door. “Charlotte?”

Sitting in the chair beside the door, the Fighter looked up from picking at her nails. “Huh?”

“What do you think? It’s not… too much is it?”

Her plump lips thinned as her eyes glanced up and down. She hesitated before saying, “You look great, Lady Mozu.” She couldn’t detect any sincerity in it.

“Ah, Milady!” said the dressmaker. “It is almost four. You need to be at your lessons, no?”

“Oh yeah. Literature.” She made a disgusted noise. “Who has time to make books with so many words and so thick?” He laughed in response. “Ah, thank you so much. Charlotte and I got it from here.”

“Of course.” He bowed deeply, walking backwards to excuse him. “I aim to please, Milady.” She nodded once and waited until he left.

“Charlotte, would you mind helping me outta this?” she asked her.

“Hm? Oh sure.” Her retainer sounded bored today. Something ate at her as she walked over from her chair and stepped up to the podium. Mozu watched her through the mirror as she placed herself behind her, her fingers reaching the laces on the dress. Her baby blue eyes didn’t have the spark they usually had and her brows were perpetually knit together like someone she knew. Charlotte’s lips sat in a pout as she focused on unlacing her, being quick and efficient. _Gods, I should say something… something is definitely wrong._ She never wanted to admit it, but she had noticed that Charlotte came off different towards her as opposed to others. If she was to be retainer, then something had to be said. Mozu opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out when she saw the mirror. The laces on the dress were undone and the outside hair pricked at her back. Charlotte’s fingers held her dress as her eyes zoned in on her back. Her brows, still together, turned up as her lips parted in concern.

 _My scars_ , she thought. _Gods, she sees my scars._

Quietly, Mozu asked, “A-Are they that bad?” But even that frightened Charlotte out of her train of thought.

“N-No…” Ah, there was some emotion at last, but it still concerned her. “I just…”

Mustering her courage, she turned around with a stern look in her eyes. “Charlotte—,”

“Milady.” Mozu shut her mouth as Charlotte bowed to her. “I…I hereby announce my resignation as your royal retainer, Lady Mozu.”

“Wh-what?!” She shook her head. “Denied, not until you give me a good reason why!”

She lifted her head. “Why? Because for a while, and maybe even now, I hated you!” Then the room dulled with the silence. Mozu stared in bewilderment, holding her dress up as the rage subsided from Charlotte’s eyes. No one had ever told Mozu that they hated her before. At least, not to her face. _Gods, what did I do wrong?_ “I… I don’t know if that’s true anymore…”

“Wh-why?” she asked, voice wavering. “Did I… do something?”

Charlotte shook her head, swallowing back. “It’s…” She sighed, sitting on the floor against the podium. “…When I was a girl, I had dreamed of marrying a prince.” Oh lords. Biting her lip, Mozu sat on the podium, trying to keep most of the dress fabric off the floor. “My family wouldn’t have to worry about money ever again and they would never be hungry or cold or tired. And all I had to do was marry a prince to do that…” She rested her head in her hands. “Of course, my dream meant diddlysquat when I heard that Nohr’s two princes were already engaged and I was to be retainer for the new queen… Then it all came out that you weren’t Sakura and Sakura wasn’t you.” Mozu frowned. “S-Still, as the princess, you treated me alright, so when I heard about the…” She glanced to her back for a second.

“I-I remember. You got me that dress.” She smiled. “I still have it if you want it back,”

“No, no.” She shook her head. “It’s fine. But then… then I heard that Prince Xander was going to marry you instead. You weren’t even a princess or a noble. Nothing like that.”

“…I haven’t a penny to my name, really.”

“Exactly.” She scoffed. Mozu wondered if she was supposed to take offense. “So when I heard that… ah, gods.” She sighed and hung her head. “It was like the universe telling me that I could have lived out my dream, but it wasn’t meant for me. I had lost my chance!”

In her heart, Mozu knew she had nothing to be guilty about; these were the turn of events. With a heavy burden in her chest, she asked the question that she was most afraid of being true. “Are… do you l-love Xander? Or Leo?”

Charlotte was silent. Gods, please don’t let that silence be the answer. She lifted her head finally, her eyes somber. “No,” she answered. “I hardly know either of them. But my heart kept crying out ‘it could have been me!’” She dug her fingers into her arms. “I knew it was wrong to feel that way, to be envious, but I just kept… letting it fester… Until now,”

“…What changed?” Mozu asked.

“I remembered.” Charlotte glanced at her back again. “What you went through to get here. To earn Prince Xander’s love, truly.” Bitterness hinted at her voice. “Guess the gods are repaying you for all that you suffered through.”

Upon hearing that, Mozu stood up, staring down at Charlotte. She crumpled the fabric of the dress, her eyes burning. “Xander isn’t marrying me because he pities me. If anything, _he_ will be the one suffering for doing so! First the ice tribe and now all of the nobles who would shun him for taking a peasant wife, nonetheless a _Hoshidan_!” Judging from the widening of Charlotte’s eyes, her message had gotten through. The fire in her eyes subsided as she took on a more nurturing voice. “We chose each other, because we love each other. Because we need each other,”

“I-I get that.” She stood up, holding her arms. “Which is why it was completely unfair for me to be jealous of you. I can charm all a bachelor wants, but actually loving?” She shrugged, shrinking back. “Sure, I’d be able to provide for my family but…”

No more had to be said. Mozu took a step forward, placing her hand on the Fighter’s shoulders as she lowered her voice. “Well, Charlotte, if you quit now, then you won’t be able to help them.”

“I-I know.” She shut her eyes. “But you can’t want me anymore… You know I a-almost told you to do something stupid to try to break you two up?”

Oh. That time in the Ice Tribe when they weren’t speaking.

“But you didn’t,” she said, recalling the event. “You better quit pretendin’ that you don’t care, ‘cause I know you do.” Charlotte lifted her brows. “You’re my first Nohrian friend… I’m the selfish one. I don’t wanna lose you,”

“But, Milady?...”

Mozu cleared her throat. “No, your request is still denied. Besides, tell me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t a crown retainer make more money than a simple royal one?”

Charlotte’s lips parted as she blinked twice. “I…I would think so?”

“Especially once their liege becomes regent, right?”

“O-Of course,”

“Then doesn’t that solve your problem?”

Never has she seen the berserk fighter so vulnerable before, her eyes wide with realization and hope. They glossed and Mozu could see the tears forming over them. “I…It sure does,”

“See?” She took her hands in hers, keeping them warm. “I have one more request,”

“Yes! Anything!”

“When you do marry, do it because you love them, okay?” She giggled. “Whether they are pauper or noble.”

Charlotte choked out a sob before the tears began rolling down her round cheeks, hiding her eyes behind her hands. Behind the gasps of air, Mozu heard the faint “Thank you, thank you,” as she moved in closer.

“Of course.” She pulled her in for a tight embrace as her tears died down. Charlotte’s strength translated into a very tight hug, one where she feared that she would never let go. “Thank you for telling me all of that…”

“I-It’s okay with you? Now that y-you know?”

“It was eatin’ at me for a while, so yes.” She returned with a smile. “Now we can work on being friends, right?”

Charlotte nodded once. “I’ve never had many girl friends, but that’s because of me.” Her confidence returned, even through her puffy eyes. “I’ll try my best, Milady. But for sure! No one’s gonna ever hurt you, okay? Not even those snobby rich nobles.” 

Mozu believed her.

* * *

 

Only two more days and Mozu would be a wife. Finally, Sakura and Leo had time to visit their brother and future sister-in-law. They met outside the gates of Krakenburg and the first thing Sakura did was immediately apologize to Mozu, bows and everything, for keeping her waiting all of these days. “Aw, don’t worry ‘bout it,” she replied. “I bet you no one is gonna see the two of us for a couple of days after Saturday, right?”

Xander nodded. “I’ll go as far as moving to the hunting lodge for a couple of days,”

“Damn,” Leo said with a laugh. “That’s actually a marvelous idea. Wish I thought of it earlier,”

“No you don’t,” Xander said as they descended down the stairs. “After all, I don’t remember what we did with the boar.” Leo’s face fell as the two girls laughed behind their fingers.

Taking the time out of their schedules, the four had chosen to sneak off to the festival in Windmire’s streets before it ended with the wedding on Saturday. Sakura had already gone with Leo and her siblings, so the two of them were leading the group. Mozu ate her fill of the food that the vendors sold, including a couple of sticks of Kabayaki. They watched some dancers sway their bodies to traditional music and even had a shot or two of sake. Mozu looked to the princess. “It’s just like that night, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” She squeezed Leo’s hand as he glanced down at her.

“All it needs is a bar fight,” he joked.

The more they walked, the more Mozu tried to look for signs between Leo and Sakura to see if anything had really changed. At first glance, it looked like nothing changed; they were modest and only held hands, leaning in in every now and then for a quick peck on the cheek. But the more they walked and the more they went ahead of them, it became clearer. In the sea of people swarming around, they looked like the only two people in the world to each other. There was a soft glow around them both, and even though their words and mannerisms never changed, Mozu somehow felt that they were older, more mature than they actually were. She had never feared that they would become one of those couples that were too open with showing affection, leaving a bad taste for everyone else. Instead, Leo and Sakura had gracefully entered their marriage.

_Of course they did. They look great just standin' next to each other... wonder if I'll ever look like that to someone else._

The sun was high overhead when they left and had begun to dip when they decided to return to Krakenburg. Once they reached the gates, Leo leaned into his wife’s ear and whispered something no one else could make. Though, neither Xander nor Mozu had to really guess from her cheeks reddening as he pulled away. “Well, Brother,” Leo said, looking back at them. “We have some matters to attend to.” The other couple exchanged glances. “We bid you good evening,”

“Of course. Rest well.”

Sakura managed a little wave. “It was so n-nice to go out with you t-two again. Thank you,”

“Thank _you_ , Sakura,” Mozu replied. “Couldn’t have had as much fun without you leading.”

They bid their last salutations and the newlyweds made their way down the hall, disappearing into the shadows of Krakenburg. Once they were gone, she turned to her fiancé. “So what now?”

“I thought you had lessons?”

“Nah, your father gave me the next couple of days off.” She snickered. “Said something about not wanting an overworked bride,”

“At least he’s caring.” He gave her one of his rare smiles, reaching for her hand. “Perhaps we should attempt to savor this moment alone. We’ll be apart until the aisle soon.”

She squeezed back. “I like the sound of that—,”

“Lord Xander? Lady Mozu?” And there it went. Holding back winces, they turned around to face the castle guard that approached them.

Xander found his usual, intimidating voice again. “Yes?” he asked. “What is it?”

“Th-there’s a woman at the g-gates who wishes to see you.”

He frowned. “Do I know this woman? Why didn’t she request an audience?”

The guard nodded. “W-We’re not sure, M-Milord. She said her name w-was ‘Annabelle’?”

And his brows lifted, his body freezing. _Annabelle? Who was Anna— oh Gods!_ Mozu thought, glancing up at him. _His past… girlfriend?_ If that was even the right word.

“We can send her away, Milord,” he said. “But she was v-very insistent that she knew you.”

Xander looked down at Mozu, asking her with his expression if it was okay. She chewed her cheek, knowing a thousand things must be running through his head. Questions had to be answered. She nodded once. “Very well,” Xander said. “We’ll meet her in the Southern Wing meeting hall.”

If there was one thing that Mozu hoped, it was that this person would actually turn out to be Annabelle; it would be awkward if it wasn’t. Gods, though, what did she want? Suddenly, she was struck with the fear that maybe, just _maybe_ she wanted Xander back. Mozu’s hands shook as she took a seat in the meeting hall next to Xander. She glanced up at Xander, noticing his furrowed brows and his fingers tapping on the table in rhythm, looking as if there were keys underneath. _Gosh, he must be nervous._ Does that mean that she should be even more nervous? As her heart raced, she reached forward and took his hand, interlacing their fingers. Even though he didn’t look back at her, he returned the gesture by molding his hand with hers and resting them on his knee.

“Look, I’m no prisoner!” came her voice from the other side of the door. “You don’t need to drag me like I did anything wrong—!” The two of them stood up as the door opened in the next second, and the girl from Macarath was shoved into the room. Mozu recognized her dark hair and her blue eyes; a color so rare that she had only seen them in the people of the Ice Tribe. Annabelle sneered at the guards as they shut the door and she fixed her clothes in a huff. She turned around and came face to face with Xander and Mozu, their eyes washed with concern.

Of course, the first thing she did was lock her gaze with Xander’s. Her frown softened as her lips parted and her brows lifted. She dropped her tense shoulders and sighed, managing a sheepish smile. “Ah… it’s really you isn’t it?”

Xander was silent for a moment. “Yes,” he answered. “…Did you come here all the way from Macarath?”

She crossed her arms. “I was here at the festival selling my goods. Then I saw you. I was gonna say something but…” Annabelle looked to Mozu, who was still trembling in her boots as she twiddled her thumbs. “…I thought I’d be interrupting. Pardon me, but, aren’t you Princess Sakura?” she asked. “You’re obviously with him, but I was told that you were to marry Prince Leo instead.”

“Ah, well,” Xander started, “It’s quite a tale. Please, sit.” And they all did, Mozu not keeping her eyes off the girl before her. “At the time, I was engaged to Princess Sakura. However, this person is not her, but rather her handmaiden named Mozu.”

The girls locked eyes, Annabelle staring in surprise. “ _You’re_ Lady Mozu?” she asked.

“Y-Yes… I’m sorry for tricking you earlier,” she said. “I-It was a whole rouse set by Sakura,”

“But it’s not all bad. After all, I find myself engaged to the women I fell for in the first place.”

Annabelle giggled, a wider smile appearing. “Deceit seems to follow you, eh?” she asked, tilting her head. “I had always known that something was up with you. But now it all makes sense!”

Xander’s frown deepened. “Ah, yes. I suppose I should formally apologize for that right now. I truly am sorry for lying about who I was at the time. I believed it to be the only course of action should I… if I had wished to pursue you.” Even though it was a long time ago, Mozu felt a little spike in her blood upon hearing that.

Yet, the girl just sighed it off. “I guess that makes sense. And it’s okay. I always had the feeling that it wasn’t going to be serious.” She shrugged. “You only came during the night and always wore that cloak to hide your face from others. Couldn’t be more weird!” She laughed as Xander glanced away, attempting to save face. “Gods, and I couldn’t help but be attracted to that. Ah well, then you had to up and leave soon anyway,”

“Yes, it was finally time for my siblings and I to return to Krakenburg. I thought I had more time, but I was wrong.”

“Hey, it’s fine,” she said, leaning over. “Look, uh… Milord. I guess that’s what I call you.” She laughed. “I just came to make sure that what I was thinking and what I saw was real. That it was really you this whole time.”

He lifted his head. “…Forgive me for all of the confusion I have caused you.”

Annabelle snorted. “Hey, it’s all in the past. And you know, little secret,” she lifted her hand, “I’m engaged as well.”

“Oh!” Mozu said. “Congrats!” She had no idea how much relief that had brought her, even though she knew that she shouldn’t have feared that anything would have happened. “What’s the guy’s name?”

“Ah, it’s no big deal,” she said, waving her hand. “After all, this whole festival is to celebrate your marriage. Wouldn’t want to steal your thunder,”

“In any case,” said Xander, “I’m glad to know that you have found someone to spend your life with. May it bring you happiness throughout.”

“Aw thanks. You too.” She glanced to Mozu. “Gotta say, I’m kinda glad I never let myself fall too hard for mystery man, but it’s different with you, huh? You actually know him. Like, _know_ him?”

“Yeah, I do.” She grinned. “And I’m glad to be the only one who does…” Lifting a hand, she placed it on his shoulder.

“Indeed.” His eyes softened as he reached for her hand. “I fear Mozu may know more about me than I do.”

Annabelle sighed. “Seems like my cue to leave,” she said, rising out of her chair. “That is, if you don’t mind me leaving.”

“Of course not,” Xander said, also standing. “We could have the guards escort you out. Are you in a hurry?”

“Ah, I can find my way back,” she said, making her way to the door. “And yes. I don’t want to keep Vanessa waiting too long.”

Xander lifted a brow. “Who?”

She placed her hand on the door, tapping her fingers on its wood as the ring made little clanking sounds. Annabella gave him one last grin before sliding out with a single, “Goodbye, Milord.” She closed the door after her, leaving the both of them stunned.

Slowly, the two turned to each other, processing the conversation that they just had. Mozu reached into her hair, scratching the back of her neck. “Well,” she started after a sigh, “That was unexpected…”

“Yes, it was.” He crossed his arms, looking to the door and fixing his sights upon it. “But… I feel lighter,” he said. “It was brief, but I think we both said just what was needed at the time.”

“Seems like it. Hehe, she seems like a handful,” she said, holding his arm as they begun to walk out. “But in a fun way,”

“I’m beginning to think I liked her fun more than I liked her,” he said as they traversed down the halls of Krakenburg. “Or perhaps the very brief sense of freedom I had when I was with her,”

“Mmm… but ya know, Peri told me you loved her… was that not true?”

Xander kept his tone light. “Hmm. Maybe. Or maybe I was in love with the idea of her. Either way, I never said it.” He glanced down. “…Did the conversation give you doubts?” he asked, moving towards a balcony.

“H-Huh?” She looked up at him. “Waddaya mean?”

“Mozu, you should know,” he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, “I love _you_. Yes, I had my delight with her, but I’m marrying you.”

She pouted, resting her head against his chest. “I-I know. I just can’t help but _wonder_ , ya know?... She’s a lot prettier,”

“You think me so base as to abandon everything we have established over looks?” He scoffed, still retaining a smile, “I am offended, my dear,”

“Gosh! I was just sayin’.” She gave him a playful nudge. “Alright, I get it, I get it… sorry. It was dumb, right?”

“It doesn’t matter to me. I want to ease whatever doubts and questions you may have, no matter how small,”

“…Alright,” she said, looking out below to the festival, amber lights illuminating the dark blues and purples of Nohr's nights. She used to find the nights so cold and bleak instead of seeing their subtle beauty like Xander did. “I wanna know your story. Yours and hers. Can’t you tell me that?” Mozu placed her hands on the railings, sliding one towards him. He did the same, catching hers in his own.

“Sure,” he said. “After our wedding,”

“Huh? Why after?”

Xander turned around to face her, holding her hand close to him. “Because for this day and the next, I want us to look forward to our future. We’re so close to finishing one part of our own story, and I want to see it through.”

Her heart swelled, even though she kept her face composed. “Hehe, you sound like you’re just going to think about us for the next couple of days and nothing else,”

“That’s my intention.” He lifted her hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss upon on her knuckles. “I think I’ll allow myself some room to be selfish... Once we’ve married, I’d want time with my new wife… if you’ll allow it.”

She couldn’t help but blush this time “Funny, I was thinkin’ the same thing,” she said, coming closer. “You’d know what’d be nice?”

“Hm?” He lowered himself, their voices edging on whispers.

“Let’s go to that lodge you mentioned. We can hunt and I’ll cook all of our meals. Even if it’s just for two days or three.”

“Yes.” His free hand reached for her cheek. “Sounds like heaven,”

“It will be.”

As they leaned in for the kiss, she thought about his words. Yes, it would be nice to be selfish for just a while longer. After everything, they deserved a couple of days in silence and isolation, just to have something simple for themselves. Their day was so close, just two nights away. And really, the past had no matter right now. Soon, she would be Crown Princess. Soon, she would be right where she always was meant to.

It was all happening so fast.


	26. ...Till Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy shit. Honestly, I can't believe I'm here right now. The last chapter!! (it's a short one though)  
> Gods, nothing like finals week to kickstart motivation, huh? First off, I wanna thank the entire LeoSaku Discord Server. You guys all mean so much to me ;w; Second, all of my XanMozu rarepair fans. Ahh it's been a long ride getting this story finished.
> 
> Shoutout to Cici for beta-ing today. Also, Happy Birthday Lin <3
> 
> I'll probs have more at the end but let's GOOOO

**…Till Dawn**

 

She blamed Nohr’s blistering winds for keeping her awake in the late hours of the night. At least, at first.

_You’re nervous for tomorrow._

Even though the winds could not touch her within her suite, she still felt its chill on her shoulders as she lied in bed staring up at the canopy above her. Her mother had once said that bad weather was poor luck on the day of the wedding, where the gods wept and darkened the skies instead of smiling down with sunshine. But, that was in Hoshido, where clouds or storms were rare, occurring only a handful of days in the year. And this was Nohr, where it was rarer to see the sun than it was to see light rain. So bad weather be damned.

Mozu opened her eyes and sat up on her side, rubbing her eyes. She slid her legs over the side of the bed and crawled out, her feet carrying her to the balcony. Looking out from the window and seeing it tremble against the gusts prevented her from going outside for some air. With a sigh, she returned to her bedside, kneeling down beside it. Her head fell upon the bed under her arms as she closed her eyes.

_Ah, Mother… it’s been a while since I said anything to you…_

If she were alive, she would have walked right into Krakenburg past the guards and scolded her daughter for not sending word.  

_I wish you and Dad were here for tomorrow. You woulda embarrassed me for sure…_

_But I guess you will be, won’t you? At least in spirit? I’ll need all the strength I can get._

To that, her mother would have replied: _Surely you’ve done harder things than marry the man you truly love._ And she would have been right. With that, Mozu figured that she couldn’t make her parents proud if she didn’t rest up for tomorrow. She crawled back into bed and closed her eyes, thinking of old memories to calm her mind.

Though she must have been out for hours, she only felt as if she had closed her eyes for five minutes when her canopy curtains were pulled open. “Good morning!” came two familiar voices. Mozu squinted her eyes open, recognizing cheery Mina’s and casual Clement’s voices. They greeted her with wide grins, to which she simply groaned and stuffed her face back into her pillow.

“Aw,” said Mina in a sing-song voice, “Come now, Milady, it is your wedding day!”

“Hooray!” said Clement, his voice in harmony with Mina’s, “And you must wake up now to make it to the chapel in time. We have so much to do!”

“Mm, chapel, right…” She kept her eyes closed. “I gotta take a bath and do my hair and… oh gods!” She sat up, patting her cheeks. “I-I’m getting married!”

Mina giggled. “I know! Please come with me, Milady! We have a bath drawn for you!”

Oddly, it was as if Mozu couldn’t feel herself slide out of bed; it was like she was being drawn by horses on the way to the bath. Clement had gone ahead to prepare her dress once she finished, but Mina stayed with her. The first sign of this numbness came when Mozu realized that she let the maid disrobe her without any qualm or embarrassment. In fact, she didn’t truly wake up until she was brought face to face with the steaming bath with black petals sprinkled around its surface. Peering further, she noticed a couple of herbs and roots lying at the bottom, creating a fresh scent even from where she stood. “What’s all that for?”

“Oh, these are plants from around Nohr that we’ve used for special occasions such as these.” Mozu took Mina’s hand to safely lower herself into the water, mindful of all the plants. “You’ll smell so delicious after soaking in them for a while.”

It was then that she wondered why she would have to smell _delicious_. Not a half-second later, she answered her own question, reminding herself that this was for her wedding. It wasn’t tomorrow or the day after: her wedding was today. Her heart raced as adrenaline pushed down to her core, but she remained still within the bath, not even flinching when Mina’s shampoo-covered hands took her hair. “Goodness, Milady,” said Mina as she massaged her scalp, “Usually, you insist that you would like to care for yourself. Ah! Not that I mind!”

“H-Huh? Oh…” Mozu pressed her lips together momentarily. “I guess… maybe today I wouldn’t mind a little laziness.”

“You picked a good day to be lazy. Just relax, Lady Mozu. Stress is unbecoming of the bride.”

She closed her eyes with a soft laugh behind her lips. “Heh. That sounds funny.”

“What?”

“Bride.” Mina’s hands stopped. “A country gal like me was supposed ta’ wear a dress she and her Momma made. Didn’t have to be white. Except, when I think of ‘Bride’ all I can see is someone like Sakura in her white kimono.”

Slowly, the maid continued to shampoo her hair. “I’m sure you miss your home, Lady Mozu.”

“Who wouldn’t? But I shouldn’t spend today missin’ it like I do every other day,”

“Right!”

After rinsing her hair, Mina placed oils and lotions into it to soften it while she combed it, ridding every knot until her hair felt like silk. She scrubbed Mozu’s back, clipped her nails, and washed her face before finally letting her step out. The maid placed a robe around her body and escorted her down the hall towards the dressing room. With each step, Mozu could still smell the fragrance of the flowers stuck to her skin and the jasmine oils that kept her hair soft. It was probably the cleanest she had ever felt.

Mina opened the door to the dressing room, to which Mozu was greeted by different ladies in different colors all greeting her with enthusiasm. In the same way for Sakura’s wedding, all the royal ladies were in the dressing room, wearing earnest and warm smiles that brought more light to the room than any sunlight or candle. “G-Good morning! Boy, that sure woke me up.”

“Uh-oh,” said Camilla, “We don’t need to send you to nap too, do we?”

“Nah,” she replied, waving her hand, “Too excited!”

“Aw yeah!” shouted Elise, pumping her fist in the air, “now that’s what I wanna hear!”

_Time to get into the dress…_

As it turned out, shimmying into the dress wasn’t as bad as she thought. The princesses had a laugh when she stepped into it and pulled it up to her thighs before it stopped. Unnatural panic set in when she tugged on it again to no avail before Camilla stepped in to rescue her. She loosened some more ties within the dress (why did it have so many?) and it slipped on easy. Mozu sighed in relief as she pushed her arms through her sleeves, standing still as Camilla tied her corset. Her soon-to-be sister-in-law must have also hated the corsets of dresses judging from how she was able to give her some slack in the ties.

_Gods, I’m always gonna be paranoid to wear these kinds of dresses, huh? Maybe I just won’t wear ‘em._

Faint gasps broke her out of her thoughts. Suddenly, she was alone on the platform, looking down at the women below her. Their eyes gazed in wonder, their smiling lips silent as they took in the first image of Nohr’s future Crown Princess. Though not yet wed, she felt the opposite of a peasant as her eyes swept the room, falling upon the mirror before her. How many times had she tried on the dress before? Once? Twice?

Yet, on this day, it was as if it was enchanted overnight to perfectly fit in her all places. It was a dress for her.

There were many maids willing to dress her hair for her, but Mozu had taken pride in the fact that she wanted to do it herself. After all, she had always thought that she’d do so ever since she was a little girl. Besides, she didn’t mind doing it at all as the princesses sat around, sharing tea and sweets.

“Hey, Almost-Big-Sister,” said Elise. “We got what you asked for. You sure you wanna wear these?”

“Oh, I’m sure,” Mozu said, reaching for the tray of small white flower buds. “I know it ain’t custom, but I’ve always wanted to wear real flowers for my wedding.”

Elise shrugged and left her to weave the stems into her curled hair, adorning them like a crown. Judging from the other Nohrian noblewomen that came to Sakura’s wedding, she really should have tied it up in a fancy bun with a real crown. She tried imagining it throughout the week, but it just seemed so stiff for her. She usually had her hair up in a ponytail or two to get it out of her face for a hard day of work. Once, just once, she wanted to let it down. Today seemed like the best day out of any.

The clock against the wall alerted them that it was nearly time. She cut it close from spending so much time on her flower crown that she was hopping into her shoes outside of the door. Even as everyone had to make a brisk pace to reach the chapel, the time didn’t feel like it was pressuring them. Mozu had even made a joke about being late to her own wedding and how “Nohrian” she was becoming.

As per custom, she was wheeled off into a side room in the Chapel towards the entrance. Old as time tradition forbade the bride and groom seeing each other before meeting on the aisle. She had a feeling that even if she somehow saw him before the aisle, they wouldn’t need the luck. Not after everything they had been through, they had proved that it was their own resilience that made this a reality.

She had to wait for all the guests to settle in as she was left alone in her little room. If it weren’t for the soft murmur of voices outside, the silence would have made her shake even more. How did Sakura handle all this pressure? Ah. She recalled that the princess had her elder brother. It was almost comical how clearly she could see Sakura sitting in the same chair as her, taking deep breaths as Ryoma laughed and rubbed her back, telling her that everything will be alright once she walks.

_It’d sure be nice to have someone like that right now._

In that moment, she would have given anything to see her father come through the door, shuffling to fix his clothes and attempt to console her before she insisted that she wasn’t nervous.

There’s just a lot of pressure, she would say. The noblewomen all wanna see me fall on my face or spit in a can ‘cause that’s what _paupers_ do, according to them. She passed off as a princess for a month and the only one to have figured it out was her brother-in-law, so.

Well. After today, there would be no more pretending.

A sudden knock at the door made her jump out of her seat and gasp. “Wh-who?”

Sakura suddenly sprinted inside and shut the door behind her, almost sending Mozu in a panic. Was the chapel suddenly on fire or what? The princess took a big gulp of breath. “Oh… oh thank goodness!” she said. “I got you in time.”

“In time for what?” she questioned, a puzzled look on her face. Without saying a word, Sakura took her hand out from behind her bed and held up a piece of jewelry Mozu never thought she’d see again. Her eyes widened as the amethyst and silver necklace dangled from Sakura’s fingers, shining in all different facets.

“It… it was in my jewelry box,” Sakura said with a meek smile. “I f-found it while moving to my new room with Leo and I-I told myself to s-surprise you with it.” Then she frowned. “I’m sorry it d-doesn’t match your—“

“Who cares ‘bout that?” Mozu said, excitement welling in her chest. “Omigosh, thank you, Sakura!” Without warning, she wrapped her arms around her best friend, eliciting soft laughter and groans as her grip tightened. Once she let go, Sakura held out the necklace for her. Mozu turned herself around and felt another giddy jump as she felt the cold metal against her neck. All of the memories associated with it came flooding back. In an instant, she was transported back onto the gondola when he had first given it to her. She recalled clutching onto it in moments of doubt. Even the time it was snatched from her in the dungeon. But here it was, in its rightful place.

Mozu looked down, knowing it did not match any part of her wedding gown or even the simple studs she wore as earrings, but she could not imagine going through the wedding without it.

There was a knock at the door. It creaked open and Benny’s face appeared in the space. “Uh…” he said, scratching his chin. “It’s time, Lady Mozu.”

“H-Huh? Oh…oh!” She straightened her dress and took one last look in the mirror before meeting him at the door. “Do I look okay?” she asked Sakura and him.

“Better than that,” he replied, a smile appearing on his face. Huh, well today really was a miracle. Charlotte was also outside, wearing her formal retainer uniform alongside Benny.

“You’ll do great,” Sakura whispered to her before breaking into a brisk pace to reach her seat. Mozu had gone over the routine a thousand times in her head, more so than she physically did in rehearsal. _I can do this…_

By the time she was outside, the organ had already begun its tune and she heard the shuffling of people as they rose to stand. With her two retainers in front of her, her view of the aisle was blocked. She felt her heart jump in her throat as they took a step forward. She counted every second that passed, standing still as they walked side by side, carrying the ceremonial rapiers by their side. At the end of the aisle were Laslow and Peri, standing in opposite sites as they crossed their swords in the air. Charlotte and Benny turned their backs on the pews and drew their swords, crossing them above. When they parted, Mozu finally had a clear view of the aisle and the altar across the way.

It happened like magic. Suddenly, she had tunnel vision but instead of darkness, her surroundings were light. In the center standing tall and proud was Prince Xander, waiting for her to come to him. Obsidian and gold covered him, creating his adorned and intricate coat vest. He wore a dark cape with a fur trim around his shoulders. Atop his head, he wore a crown similar to his father’s. To everyone else, he was the spitting image of a King of Nohr. To Mozu, his calm eyes and subtle smile reminded her that it was still the Xander she had known a week, a month before.

King nor Prince wasn’t the first thing that came to mind. Just her Xander. Their eyes kept fixed on each other, not wanting to miss a moment as she walked down the aisle and underneath the swords.

Mozu ran through all of the clichés in her head. No, she wasn’t dreaming. No, she wasn’t suffering through a fever. She was here, taking her last two steps to stand beside him before the altar. As the music died down, she recalled all of the times they told each other how much they couldn’t wait for this very moment. It wasn’t a month later or a week or a day. It was now.

Exceptions could be made for Princess Sakura and her wedding. As far as Garon was concerned, Mozu herself was the exception and therefore would follow Nohrian tradition, especially seeing as how this was a Crown Royal wedding. For her, it really didn’t matter as long as she had her husband by the end of the day.

The Nohrian Priest behind the Altar cleared his throat, silencing the room before he spoke. Unfortunately for Mozu, his speech seemed to drown out of her ears. Even if she and Xander were supposed to be facing the altar, she couldn’t help but tilt her head just slightly so he would be in her peripherals. She could feel him doing the same. Just like her, neither wanted to miss a moment of seeing each other on this day. Who cared about some speech about transcending class or boundaries into a perfect union. It was everything that the two of them already knew, already overcame.

No one had to remind them.

“Lady Mozu.” She snapped out of her thoughts with enough grace to shrug it off. Mozu faced forward at the sound of her name. “Lord Xander. Please kneel before the altar.” Xander extended his hand towards her and she grasped it tightly, feeling their fingers intertwine. He knelt first so she would have an easier time, needing to hold her dress so she would not fall. “Lady Mozu, please recite your vows.”

She nodded. Unfortunately for her and Xander, their vows were written hundreds of years ago, being the same vows that a king or future king would say to his future queen. Of course, many of those marriages were political in intent only, but she figured she could still make them sound genuine. “I hereby vow to never stray from your side,” she started, not keeping her eyes off of him. “To never flee in dark times, to never rest during light times. I will stand by you as your protection and comfort. I will be all that you require and to you, I give my undying loyalty.” The words were dated, but Mozu would easily be able to fulfill them. In truth, her own written vows still wouldn’t be as eloquent.

Still, Xander’s eyes twinkled with a sort of joy as she finished. The priest prompted for him to say his vows. “I hereby vow to never stray from your side. To never abandon you, to never take advantage. I will be your shield and warmth. I will be all that you require and to you, I give my undying loyalty.”

Though they were the words of thousands of kings and queens before them, Mozu and Xander believed them, resounding them in their hearts.

“Bow your heads,” said the priest. “Gods, let their prayers resound. We humbly ask that you watch over this couple and grant them longevity for their health and their marriage.” He paused. “Lady Mozu, Do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband, in addition to accepting the title of Crown Princess?”

Without hesitation, “I do.” And she said it proudly, silencing any doubt that loomed within the chapel. “And do you, Crown Prince Xander of Nohr, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, in addition to sharing your Crown status?”

No hesitation from him either. “I do.”

“Please rise.” Xander stood first to allow her to use their hands to lift herself up. They faced each other, holding their hands tightly. _It’s almost done…_ “By the order of the gods and power vested within me, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife, and Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Nohr. You may now kiss the bride.”

Just as Xander leaned in, Mozu threw her hands onto his shoulders, bringing him down faster. When their lips met, the silence in the chapel died with the applause of their audience. She could hear her new sisters clapping the loudest, a few of them even laughing in delight. So many of their kisses had been magical and full of life, and this one was no different. She thought she would be embarrassed with so many people watching, but her love had overcome any anxiety. Her hand rested on his cheek, holding him in place as she ingrained his scent, his touch, his taste into this perfect moment.

When they pulled away, they both had a lot to say. Instead, they kept their gazes upon each other, listening to the fading applause.

_We did it, Xander…_

_Yes, we did…_

* * *

 Not that she was ungrateful, but Mozu could tell that the food at the reception lacked in quality compared to her own. Even though the steak was supposedly “freshly cut and seared” and the vegetables were steamed to perfection, the overall bland and unoriginal platter made her miss the food that could have been served instead. Weddings in her village called for an all-around potluck, an extravaganza of different family recipes that came together for a joyous occasion. Then, all of the guests would serve what they wanted and pick at their food in between dancing and conversation. Ideally, Mozu would have wanted the same.

But Xander was worth putting up with steak, potatoes, and vegetables. She figured she could cook all of those recipes for them until she day she died. Soon, she mused, maybe all his fancy Nohrian recipes wouldn’t be enough anymore.

The reception was as dull as Sakura’s and Leo’s had been. Except this time, she and Xander had to be the ones to sit up front and greet each and every noble waiting in line to give their gifts and congratulations. Half-assed congratulations, she might add. Most of the Hoshidan nobles were genuine enough, excited to see one of their own as Crown Princess, even if it was not Sakura. Many of them held her hand and could feel their sentiment in their touch and their voices. Meanwhile, the Nohrians could not leave fast enough after reciting their lines through honeyed smiles. A bow, a word, and then they turned away. Mozu swore she heard one woman groan in disgust after turning her back to her. Judging from the puzzled look on Xander’s face, he must have heard it too.

“…I could have a word,” he whispered, leaning towards her.

“Let ‘em be grumpy,” she said, adding in a grin. “I’m too busy enjoying my wedding.”

He chuckled in response. “Right answer.” Xander sat up straight and stared ahead, causing her to look in the same direction. Queen Mikoto and King Garon made their way to the table to greet the couple, Mikoto first.

“Congratulations, you two.” With a warm smile, she reached her hands towards them, taking one each. “I have such high hopes for your future together. You both will accomplish so much.”

“Th-thank you, Lady Mikoto,” said Mozu. It was odd being in such a position; sitting while the two most powerful people in the world stood before her. “It means a lot coming from you,”

“I am always open to hearing from you,” she replied back. “Send me a letter or call upon me should you ever need my help.”

“I-I will!”

Once she let go of their hands and took a step back, Garon came forward, reaching his arm over to grab Xander by the shoulder. “And there is the man of the hour! To tell the truth, I wasn’t sure if we’d get here.” He smirked, giving his son a small grin. “You sure drove a hard bargain.”

Xander returned the smile. “Even so, I am thrilled that you can be here and offer your blessings,”

“Bah, you still woulda done it even if I had to sulk and drink myself to death in the corner,”

“I would have,” he said, sneaking a glance to Mozu. Garon gave a hearty laugh as Xander raised his glass. “Shall we?”

“I will, but you won’t,” Garon said, taking the glass from him. He downed about half of it before sighing. “You’re done for the night. Can’t have you stumbling.”

Xander lifted a brow. “Father, I had no intention to drink myself to that extreme,”

“Not even an extreme! You need be sharp and awake.” He pat his back again. “Wedding ain’t over yet.” Mikoto, while retaining her polite smile, glanced away at the mention and simply kept herself quiet as Garon gave a knowing look to Mozu. _Huh, am I supposed to know what he’s talking about?_ She raised her head to Xander, who shut his jaw promptly and cleared his throat.

“Father,” he said in a stern voice, “we are in the presence of ladies,”

“So?” he said, finishing the glass of wine. “Same talk I had with Leo.” Then he set it on the table. “Same talk I had with you. Be ready.” With that, Garon turned on his heel to head back to his seat. Mikoto gave one last bow and followed him away from the table. When they were out of earshot, Mozu turned slowly and lifted a brow.

“What talk?” she asked.

Xander’s brows tightened as he glanced down at the empty glass. “Uhm…”

The sudden sound of a fork hitting a glass broke them out of their conversation. Its rhythmic tapping encouraged two others, then they in turn five others. In less than a minute, nearly every guest they could see had their glasses raised, making it sing with the fork as if it were an instrument. With all eyes on them, Mozu’s heart suddenly raised into a panic upon seeing her new sisters-in-law rush towards her. _Oh Gods_.

In a flash, they lifted her above their heads, holding onto her waist, legs, and dress. She let out a soft yelp, fearing that she would fall if a pair of hands hadn’t pressed on her back. A quick glance to her left saw that Xander had been hoisted too by his new brothers-in-law and retainers. With a cheer of laughter, the two groups wheeled the couple away towards the door, accompanied by the chorus of glasses and forks. All she could do was stare down and make sure she wasn’t dropped when they ferried her out. Behind her, she heard Niles telling all of the men to kneel at the doorway so Xander’s head wouldn’t hit it.

The journey to their new room was faster than she had thought. For being the Crown pairing, their shared master bedroom was only outshined by Garon’s. Though, that’s what Mozu was told; she hadn’t actually seen the inside of it until now when they pushed the door open. The first thing she noticed was the giant bed, and how its dark canopy was so high. Its curtains were so thick that one of the men had to use its ropes to uncover the bed, almost like a stage. Before she could admire it further, the hands underneath her vanished and dropped her onto the bed. With an “oof” she sat up and struggled to fix her dress. Just then, Xander had fallen next to her, his cape landing on her shoulder before she pushed it off. They exchanged glances before everyone that had taken them files in a circle around the bed.

Mozu winced and her knuckles went white from gripping the hems of her dress. Her heart raced and she felt the color on her cheeks. She couldn’t keep eye contact with anyone for too long because their smug expressions said it all. _Everyone knows, they’re gonna know… oooh! This is the worst!_

This time, only Garon stood before the couple, silencing the murmurs in the room. “Now. You two have the toughest job of all,” he said, one corner of his lips tugging into a smirk. “Lady Mozu. You’ve seen how big my boy is.” Even Xander grimaced at that. “And if you killed a bear with just your hands, then I expect strong and healthy heirs. Sons of Nohr.” A chuckle escaped him. “I’m sure making them won’t be a problem for a couple as in love as you.”

 _Kill me. Kill me right now. I’m going to_ die _._

Thankfully, Garon bowed and signified that his inspirational speech was over. “Good luck,” he said with a hint of whimsicality in his voice.

Then one by one, the others were ushered out of the room. Silently, her new sisters waved and blew kisses for good luck. Similarly, Niles gave Xander the same lewd gestures and pantomimes as he did for Leo, earning the same frown. One final cackle came from the brothers and retainers as they slammed the door shut, lock clicking. Even if they were gone, both of them waited until their footsteps and voices faded entirely.

Mozu and Xander exhaled deeply at the same time, finally able to relax after that interlude of ridicule. Slowly, they found the courage to face each other. Their hands slid on the bed towards each other, fingers interlacing one by one. She lifted his gloved hand and used her free fingers to inch off the leather until he was free. Xander gave her hand a squeeze and leaned forward. She pressed her lips together and her eyes went half-lidded as his lips hit her cheek.

“Before we begin.” His whisper sent a chill down her spine. “I… would like to read you something.”

She chuckled, knowing she should have expected it. “Of course.” Xander pulled away and reached inside his breast pocket. When he pulled out the folded paper, she asked, “What is it?”

“Ah…” He unfolded it. “Hard to explain. I had intended them to be vows. My vows that I wanted to say. But then it…” He shook his head.

“It’s fine,” she said, placing her flat hands on the bed, noting the comfort of its sheets. “I’m ready.”

Xander took a deep breath.

_From the second I saw you_

_From when we touched hands_

_I knew that I would do anything to protect you._

_Not even a false disguise_

_Or a royal class demise_

_Was enough to tear us apart._

It might have been the wedding and everything that had happened, but Mozu felt her heart stop. The room was so silent other than Xander’s voice struggling to read the words.

_A-and even now. In this time of joy_

_I a-almost cannot believe it…_

“Ahh…” Xander said, frowning. “The next couple of lines are blurry or they just…”

“Keep going,” Mozu said with a smile. He cleared his throat, pushing through it.

_…You remind me of the sky._

_Your body is a map, your freckles each star._

His cheeks were visibly red.

_I… I want to see where they— you’ll lead me._

_Either near or far._

 

He set down the piece of paper, his lips pressed in a thin line. Mozu could see him trembling, if only slightly. In turn, she put her hand on his and gave him a reassuring smile. It was definitely the weakest of his poems in structure, but it was loud with emotion. For her, it was perfect. Just like him. Mozu lifted herself to bring him into a kiss, wrapping her arms around him. He did the same and tilted his head to deepen their kiss, bringing warm and fuzzy feelings into her chest. His hand tossed the poem away as they broke off their kiss.

Mozu reached up to her necklace first before he lifted a finger. “Wait,” he said, pressing it against the jewels. “…Take that off last.”

A jolt ran through her chest hearing his request, but she was happy to comply. “You got it,” she said in a low voice, pulling the flowers from her hair. Her curls came loose and Xander pulled on her waist for another kiss.

She expected a lot of awkwardness in the beginning, but their movements flowed one right after the other. Soon, she found herself on her back, her hands holding his cheeks as she laughed against his lips. He inched away, finally reaching for the necklace behind her neck. “Xander,” she mused as he unclicked it.

“Yes?” he asked, smiling as he pulled the piece of jewelry away. He pushed through the curtain just to set it on the night desk before it drew back to shield them from the outside world.

“I love you,” she whispered, sliding her hands up his bare arms.

He returned the gesture by pushing the curls from her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. In the gentlest voice she had heard from him, he whispered back: “I love you too.”

For the rest of the night, they counted the stars.

* * *

 No morning had felt as surreal as this one. It was dark, for one, but she blamed that on the dark curtains. Yet, it was warm. Her senses returned to her as she felt a slight nip on her bare shoulder. On her waist weighed his arm wrapped around her. His warm chest rose and fell against her back as she felt his soft breaths near her ear. Mozu dared not move, at least not at first. She closed her eyes and smiled, relishing in the warmth of his presence before ever so slowly turning on her other side.

Xander always looked so peaceful as he slept, like an angel. She reached up and used two fingers to push some stray locks from his face. _Poor thing. He’s so tuckered out._ She bit her lip. _I guess I would be too, after last night…_

She inched away and slid his arm off of her before sitting up. Mozu stifled a groan, placing a hand over her lower stomach. _Oof. Thought that’d heal by now…_ She turned her head towards the curtain and crawled to the side to peek through. Lighter curtains were drawn over their windows, so the light in the room wasn’t as blinding as she thought. She glanced down, finding their scattered clothes all around the floor. His cape was scrunched up next to her dress, all tattered and in disarray. Then she looked up and saw the necklace sitting on the night table. _Just where it should be…_

Mozu heard fabric crunching slightly and the bed creaking. Before she could look back, a hand took her arm and pulled her back. She squealed as their bed darkened again and she found herself on her back once more. Before she could react, his lips pressed against hers, a gesture that she welcomed with her arms around him.

His hand slipped behind her back, fingers running over her scars as he lifted her to sit up. She gave him a soft moan before their lips parted. Xander kept his hand on the back of her neck and his eyes fixed on her. “Good morning.” His voice sounded different, perhaps from the early morning.

“Mornin’… so,” she said, keeping her arms on his shoulders, “is it like you dreamed?” she asked.

Xander returned with a smirk, pressing his forehead against hers. “It’s even better.” He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“Mmm. A lot better,”

“Promise?”

“Would I lie?”

“About your health? Hrm…”

Mozu scoffed and lightly smacked his shoulder. “I’m serious! It’s… better.” She shrugged. “Barely feel anything now.”

“Good.” He sighed. “I was—,”

“Worried, yeah yeah.” She giggled, leaning in to bump her nose against his. “We’ve been through worse.”

Xander shrugged. “If you say so.” He lifted a hand to her hair, snorting.

“Are you laughing at my bed head?” she teased, knowing her curls were in total disarray. “You’re not so perfect yourself, Mister.”

“Oh I am aware,” he said as she ran a hand through his locks. “Still… you look beautiful.”

Mozu couldn’t help but stifle a laugh as she rested her head against his shoulder. “Shush…”

“I’m serious. Bedhead and all,”

“I know you’re serious. That’s why I’m blushing,”

“Are you?” he teased, lifting her head to see.

“Nooo!” she said with another laugh, knowing her cheeks to be fully red. He chuckled as well, waiting until she opened her eyes to face him before he did anything else. His hand dropped from her cheek to her neck and down to her shoulder as his eyes followed. A tingle started in her chest as she bit her lip. Xander’s hand stopped at her waist, holding her in place as he leaned forward and kissed her lips.

_Hey. Sakura. Do you remember what you asked me? You asked me what Nohr was like._

After a minute, his lips trailed to her cheek then her jawline.

_I finally have an answer for you. It’s cold and it rains a lot. The skies are usually gray and the sun barely shines._

When she found herself on her back again, it was with a soft laugh as she pulled her husband down for another deep kiss.

_But despite all of that…_

“Mozu…” he said softly against her lips. “I love you…”

_It’s my home._

She opened her eyes, meeting his entrancing purple irises. Her hand pressed against his warm cheek.

_And I wouldn’t have it any other way._

“Xander…” she whispered. “I love you. So much.”

 

_**The End** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! Whew. Finally finished.
> 
> Finally, I do want to take the time to thank each and every one of you. Whether you were here since Chapter 1 or just stumbled upon it, thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. I truly believe that I've improved so much from it and it feels good to finish a project of such size. Thanks to all of my betas and supporters, to everyone that comments on each chapter, and most importantly, to the dear friends I've made along the way. his fic really changed a lot of my life for the better!
> 
> But don't expect it to be the last XanMozu or LeoSaku I'll write. I'm much too salty to give up on my ships.
> 
> Until then. 
> 
> **Thank you for your support and love**


End file.
